Girl Code
by LayAtHomeMom
Summary: Friends are forever, boys are whatever - unless it's Edward Cullen. Then the gloves come off.
1. Chapter 1

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.**

* * *

_Girl Code – Don't gossip. Just call it like you see it.  
__#keepitreal_

"So where'd she meet him?" Sue Clearwater asks my mom, wide-eyed and practically salivating for the skinny on Esme's whirlwind romance.

Mom smiles smugly as she sections off Sue's hair, knowing she has a captive audience. "They met in Vegas in April," she begins, tilting her head the same way she has the past four times she told the story today. "She was there for a cutting competition, and he was there for an insurance seminar."

"What's his name, Renee?" Mrs. Whitlock pipes up from Tanya's nail station, straining her neck to hear over the nearby dryers.

"Carlisle Cullen," Mom says nonchalantly. "He's from Chicago, sells insurance." She catches Sue's eye in the mirror and sees they want more that just his name, location, and occupation. She wastes no time getting down to the nitty-gritty. "He's a widower," she pauses for dramatic effect allowing the clients to pity him properly with a shake of their head or the ever common '_aww_'. Tanya doesn't miss a beat giving her fourth sign of the cross that day at Renee's revelation.

"Terrible," Mrs. Whitlock mumbles, following Tanya's lead with her free hand.

"And…" Mom continues, motioning for Alec to place a foil against Sue's scalp. "He has a son that's Rose and Bella's age." She paints the color onto the hair and wraps the foil tightly. "Nice boy, good manners. Awfully quiet though."

"Is he handsome?" Sue asks, trying to get my mom back on task. "Carlisle," she clarifies, not wanting to sound like she's remotely interested in the motherless boy.

"Mmm hmm," Zafrina chimes in from two stations over, never taking her eyes off of the track she's sewing into Mrs. Weber's hair.

"Very," Mom confirms, while Tanya nods in agreement.

"How'd they meet? Were they staying at the same hotel? Or…" Mrs. Whitlock trails off, politely nudging Mom to spill.

My mom looks giddy, like Sandy from Grease, surrounded by Pink Ladies urging her to 'tell me more'.

"Well, you'll never believe it." This is an interesting choice of words since they shouldn't believe it, because it's not true. "They met waiting for a table at that restaurant, _Serendipity_."

Tanya and Zafrina begin bobbing their heads in unison as if to assure their clients 'yep, it's true'. The truth is that they actually met at the outdoor bar between Caesars and the Bellagio right next to Serendipity. Honestly, who cares if they didn't fall in love over frozen hot chocolates? I think the fact that they fell in love at all is sweet enough, even if it was over copious amounts of frozen margaritas and body shots.

"He asked her to join him for dinner, and the rest as they say is history." She finishes the story strong with a sweet smile and a shoulder shrug, radiating happiness for her friend.

Sue and my mom are long time friends as well. They're nowhere near as close as Mom and Esme, but they've known each other since elementary school. Sue quirks an expectant brow at my mom, waiting for the good stuff.

"So they met at Serendipity and…"

"And they had a nice dinner."

"And…" Sue prods again.

"And they spent the next few days together," Mom says offhandedly, making Sue work for it.

"She didn't go to the cutting competition, did she?" Sue asks, knowing the answer by the smile crossing my mother's face.

I see the corner of Alec's mouth turn up as his favorite part of the story nears.

"No, she didn't." Mom turns and daintily points her brush toward the good Reverend's wife. "Now be a dear and cover your ears, Mrs. Weber."

It's no secret in this town that Agnes Weber loves two things – the good Lord and hot gossip. She doesn't even pretend to cover her ears.

The mention of ear covering has Mrs. Whitlock leaning over as far as she can until only one ass cheek secures her seat.

"They spent every single moment together for those few days," Mom says slowly, making eye contact with each client including the nosy Mrs. Weber. "And the only scissoring she did that weekend was her legs around that man's head."

For the fourth time today, the salon erupts in raucous laughter. I go back to scrolling through my Facebook news feed, trying to tune out the cackles and the rest of the story about the four-month courtship consisting of Skype sessions, phone calls, and a romantic proposal at some restaurant overlooking the city of Chicago.

Fucking around on social media all day is one of the perks of my job working the front desk. I don't make much money, but that's okay because Renee and Esme pay me in other ways like hair products, services, and my favorite form of compensation – secrets. I laugh when I see Alec's status from an hour ago and press the _like_ button immediately. _Scissoring is fun at Reneesme's Salon. _

While that mouthful of a salon name is both cringe and eye-roll worthy, I must say that for two young mothers fresh out of hair school, they made this salon the place to be in Port Townsend. If you need to get something off your chest, you either head down to one of the nine churches our small town boasts, or you take a seat in one of the chairs at Reneesme's. It's like a confessional with wine and a willing ear to listen in a judgment free environment. Well, at least until you leave that is.

The bells clanging over the front door jar me from my midday social briefing as a bored-looking Rose enters the salon. "Well…hello, hello," I say, raising my brow at her weary expression. She and Esme are moving into a new house this week with Carlisle and his son. "How goes it?"

Sighing, she drops her purse on the counter. "It's _interesting_."

"I'll bet." I check the book and see my mom penciled her in for a quick cut. "Getting the back-to-school special?"

"You know it." She leans onto the counter, propping her chin on her hand and starts scrolling on her phone. "Senior year, can you believe it?"

I shake my head. "Not really. I still remember when we coordinated outfits and school supplies in first grade." Just like our moms, Rose and I are inseparable and have been all our lives. I pick up my phone and check out what's new on Instagram. "We should totally do that though. Matching outfits. It'll be the most epic then and now Throwback Thursday pic ever for the yearbook."

"We should!" Rose's eyes get as big as her grin. "Oh my God, Alice would shit twice and die!"

"Fuck Alice," I mutter quietly under my breath.

"What happened now?"

"Nada. I'm just sick of her shit."

"Were those passive aggressive statuses about you last night?"

I snort. "Which ones?" I ask indifferently, though I quickly flip to Facebook to see if they are, in fact, about me. I swear sometimes I wish she'd just tag me in them, because I never know. "She's been posting some crazy shit ever since Garrett gave her the big boot."

"Are we allowed to address that yet?"

"No, not to her face."

Rose nods. "It was something about 'don't talk shit if you don't know shit' kind of thing, followed by about three snarky eCards about gossiping."

"Oh, that's about Chelsea. She made some comment on Victoria's post which apparently sent Alice over the edge." I toss my phone on the counter, stand up and stretch. "The funny thing about it is that Chelsea actually liked Alice's status."

"That's so fucked up."

"I know, right?"

There are lots of fucked up things about our little group of friends, especially Alice. I consider her my very best frenemy. We get along because we have to and have known each other far too long not to. She's all of five feet and two inches and 100 lbs of pure balls and bitch. Maybe I'm being too harsh, because she's not _all_ bad per se. She can be funny sometimes, clever for sure, and loyal to a fault when it suits her. However, once you piss her off, she can go from zero to psychopath in about thirty seconds flat.

"Rosie." Rose's head snaps up at the sound of my mom's voice. She smiles big as she heads back to her station, slowly walking into the lion's den. "How's the move going?"

I sit back down and resume my work duties, checking my Twitter feed and email. Much to my disappointment, not much is happening at 3:30 pm on a Wednesday, so I guess I should work for real. I thumb through the appointment book, double checking that I confirmed all of the clients for tomorrow.

"Bella." I hear my mom call me over all the 'oohs and ahhs' of the peanut gallery listening to Rose talk about her new soon-to-be stepdad. I stand up to see her still foiling Sue's hair. "Come wash Rose's hair and give her a ClayPac."

I give the drill sergeant a salute just as Tanya's next client walks in. "Hey Mrs. Mallory. Tanya's just finishing up. She'll be right with you."

Rose is waiting for me at the shampoo bowl, eyes still glued to her phone. She looks up briefly, eyeing Mrs. Mallory and grins. "How bad is it?" she asks as I wet her hair.

"How bad is what?"

"Mrs. Mallory's 'stache."

"Oh my God, you're awful."

"So is her mustache. Now tell me, is it like a shitty one like Taylor Lautner's, or does she have a full blown Charlie Swan?"

"It's a week shy of a Charlie Swan," our other bestie Alec answers, sidling up to me and grabbing the nozzle. "Let me do that." I'm feeling particularly lazy today, so I let him and slump into the seat next to Rose. "So how's life at the love nest?"

"Its fine, I guess. Kinda, I don't know...weird."

"Did he ask you to call him _Daddy_?" Alec wags his brows and pumps the shampoo into his hand, before giving me a wink. Alec is the only boy in our close circle of friends. Incidentally, he's also the meanest girl I know. He's like the perfect mix of Harry Styles good looks and Scott Disick's asshole disposition. He's both heinous and hilarious, and in short, I kind of love him for it.

"You're such a pig." Rose looks truly disgusted and kicks my foot for laughing. "Carlisle's super nice and Edward's cool too, I guess." She closes her eyes when Alec begins massaging in the shampoo. "It's just that they're really _different_ than us."

Alec squints, looking confused. "Like Honey Boo Boo family different or…"

"God, no." She points to me. "Bella, you've met him – you know what I mean, right?"

I'm the only one out of our group who's had the pleasure of meeting Carlisle, and I think he's wonderful. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, big personality with the funniest accent, it's easy to see why Esme is so drawn to him. He's one of those friendly, affectionate types. The kind of guy who shakes your hand with two of his, respectfully kisses women on the cheek coming and going, and calls all the ladies 'hun'. If I had to describe him, I'd say he's a total guy's guy, knows a little about everything and can bullshit his way through the rest.

"I thought he was great," I say with a shrug. "My dad even loved him." Truthfully, I think Charlie is just happy to have another dude in the mix. People probably think that my parents and Esme are a real life version of _Big Love_, minus the Mormon faith and adjoining homes.

"Like, here's an example. The movers bring in all the boxes from their place, right? So he and Edward start pulling stuff out and placing it around the house." Alec and I look at her as if to say 'well obviously'. "But then Mom and I took a look at what they were putting around the house, and that's when shit got _real_."

My mind automatically goes to pictures of his dead wife, maybe even shrine-style with candles and crosses and stuff. Mom and Esme don't talk about her. It's an unspoken, off-limits subject, much like the topic of Rose's father. The only thing I know about him is that he was a fisherman lothario who loved and left Esme with a broken heart, a baby, and a tarnished reputation in a small town.

"They put a HUGE Chicago Bears rug in the entry way, a Blackhawks throw over the couch, and framed autographed pictures of Mike Ditka and Walter Payton on the mantle next to my prom picture."

"And they are?" Alec asks, dragging out the last word.

Rose claps and throws her hands up to testify. "Hello! Thank you! That's what I said!" She puts her hand on her heart and one in the air because apparently we're having church up in here. "I swear to God, no joke, he gives me a ten minute lecture on the 1985 Chicago Bears." I roll my eyes because now she's exaggerating, but she catches it. "I'm so effing serious right now, Bella."

"So did Esme let him keep it there?" Leave it to Alec to keep us on track.

"No. They stepped out of the room and when they came back, he moved all the stuff to the garage and declared it 'man land'." Alec finishes rinsing her hair and squeezes the Claypac into his hand. Rose looks at me with a soft smile tugging at her lips. "He's crazy about my mom, though. Like, legit head over heels for her. And she's happy, so…"

She shrugs her shoulders and gives me a look. No words are necessary, because I know how much her mom's happiness means to her.

"So what else is weird about them?" Alec asks, working the product through her hair.

"Um, let's see." Rose starts ticking off her fingers. "They sometimes communicate through a series of grunts. They leave the toilet seat up." I cover my mouth trying not to laugh at the thought of Rose's ass in toilet water. "And...they put ketchup on like everything, including eggs."

"Gross." I can't help but make a face.

"I know, right? The only thing they don't put ketchup on, because it's like a cardinal sin is hot dogs."

Rose taps her chin. "And Carlisle, he's got a guy for _everything_. You need a shit shoveler? He's got a guy. A jeweler? A roofer? A gynie?" Alec and I laugh at Rose's pitiful attempt at a Chicago accent. "It's true, you guys. He's all 'whatcha need hun'."

Alec rinses his hands and seats her upright. "You make him sound like he's in the mafia or something."

"I'm just sayin' that it's weird."

"What about the son?" He snaps his fingers trying to recall the name. "Ed, right?"

"Edward," Rosalie corrects. "I don't know, he's just all quiet."

"Like serial killer quiet?" I shake my head at Alec's idiocy.

"Not in a creepy way or anything. I think he's just trying to wrap his head around all this." She waves her finger around. "Like this change is massive for him. He's only ever gone to all boys private schools. Never knew his mom, so he's never lived with girls."

"That sucks," I mutter, unable to imagine how I'd feel if my parents uprooted me from all I've ever known.

"We've barely said two words to each other." We stare at her like she has a dick. "What? You want me to invite him to my room for a slumber party and tell him all of my deep dark secrets while he braids my hair or something?" Alec gives her a big thumbs down and makes a fart sound. "Oh shut up."

Thankfully for Rose, Mrs. Clearwater's timer goes off and he goes to check on her under the dryer.

I pull out my phone to see if there are any updates, only to see a picture of Rose's douche bag boyfriend, who is away at college, with a skanky brunette on his lap looking like the drunk, fat bastard he is. "So how's the long distance thing going?"

"It's not." Rose doesn't look at me when she says the words I've been _dying_ to hear for the past year. "We broke up last night." I internally fist pump and do the Dougie, but I do my best to keep my utter fucking glee in check. "I haven't told my mom yet."

See, there's the rub right there. Esme's in love with the idea of her daughter being in love with someone of stature in this town. Only the best for her Rosalie, and as far as Esme can tell, Royce King is the cream of the Port Townsend crop. Royce's daddy is the president of a bank, while his mom is one of this salon's best clients.

"When are you gonna tell her?"

"I don't know." She sighs deeply. "When's Mrs. King's next appointment?"

"You can't let her find out that way, she'll fuckin' flip. You've gotta tell her as soon as-"

"Hey Sue! How's Seth doing?" Rose looks past me as Mrs. Clearwater approaches. She mouths the word 'later' to me, because we can't speak around this loud mouth.

Ever the braggart, Sue launches into how Seth is working in La Push this week, building a community center or some shit. Rose and I just smile and nod at the oblivious, albeit proud mother. What she doesn't know is that around here Seth is a little less famous for his charity work, and actually better known for taking his dick out at parties and asking the ladies to pet his python.

I jerk my chin at Rose, letting her know I'm heading back to the front desk, unable to handle story time with Sue any longer. Five lives of Candy Crush, four Buzzfeed quizzes, and thirty minutes of trolling Tumblr later, Rose and my mom walk up arm in arm.

"So have your mom call me when you get home." She runs her fingers through Rose's new long layers. "I just don't want to interrupt or overstep." Dad's all over her about boundaries and giving the couple some space. Mom doesn't share well apparently.

"I will." Rose kisses her on the cheek before looking to me. "Wanna grab some ice cream?" She points to Nifty Fifty across the street.

"Yep." I grab my purse, unable to get out of there fast enough. The strings of bells are jingling above us before Mom can even say her goodbye.

"So what happened with Royce?"

Evasive, Rose looks both ways for cars, not wanting to meet my gaze. "I don't know. I'm over it. I just want to be single for my senior year."

I fight the urge to say 'hi liar'. No girl wants to be single for her senior year. Senior year is for partying and pushing the limits, last hurrahs and horrible decisions.

"Okay," I say, skepticism lacing my tone.

A tricked out Honda Civic slows as it drives by, bumping some unintelligible song and shaking the windows of every shop in a one mile radius. Tyler Crowley lowers his cheap Pitbull imitation sunglasses and winks. Rose waves and smiles. I wave and spare him the eye roll he so badly deserves.

"Remember when you liked him?"

"Shut up." I stare at the ground, totally embarrassed. Maybe I should go easier on Alice, because had she not fucked me over, I'd be riding shotgun with that hot mess, and that's just not a good look for me.

"I'll be damned." Rose mutters, stopping as we hit the curb in front of the restaurant and looking over my shoulder. Feet shuffle against the sidewalk behind me and her shit eating grin widens. "Well, hey big brother."

I follow her eyes to the gorgeous guy approaching. He's blushing from his new sibling's salutation, a shy smirk playing at his lips. Everything about him says city boy to me, from the snug fit of his V-neck tee, to the slight sag of his cargo shorts. Handsome doesn't cut it, not for this guy. He's ridiculously hot, almost dangerously so. The kind of guy who makes bad decisions sound like a good idea.

"Checking out your new digs?"

He nods and laughs softly, making the toothpick dangling from his lips bob. "I had to pick up a book from the library." He flicks the book in question, which appears to be some sort of automotive maintenance manual before giving a sheepish shrug. "Dad got me a car."

I stand there like a jackass as they go back and forth, talking about his new Jeep. I don't even care though, he's fascinating. His accent, his mannerisms, and the way he doesn't look at me like I'm a big ol' creeper, because I know that I'm totally ogling him.

"I'm sorry," he says, acknowledging my presence and extending his hand. "I'm Edward."

"Oh shit, yeah. Bella, this is Edward." Rose gets her head out of her ass and introduces me, motioning between us. "Edward, Bella." We shake hands and I'm a little bummed when he doesn't do the handshake, cheek kiss thing his dad does. "We're just grabbing some ice cream."

I realize I haven't spoken yet, so instead of saying something normal like 'nice to meet you' or 'welcome to Port Townsend', I dazzle him with my awkwardness. "I have a bit of a sweet tooth."

Mortification sets in immediately. I feel like that chick in that movie _Dirty Dancing_, when she's all 'I carried a watermelon'. _Idiot._

Rose is merciful. Thankfully she doesn't snort, point or celebrate my humiliation. Instead, she deflects and redirects in the best and worst possible way. "Do you want to join us?"

"Uh, sure," he says, sounding anything but sure, and running a nervous hand over his backwards cap. Like a gentleman, he grabs the door and holds it open for Rose. He smiles crookedly and gestures for me to enter behind her. "After you, Sweets."

* * *

**A/N: *Lay and Carrie ZM wave frantically* Hi dolls! It's been awhile, huh? We're back with a full length fic this time – we'll update each week on Thursday nights until complete. **

**The fandom is on fire right now with so many awesome fics coming out over the past few months. Here's what's owning us these days – pimpin' ain't easy – so we like to let it WIP.**

**Slapshot by Pretty Kitty Artist - *Carrie ZM puts on her Horny for Hockeyward hat* ****A coffee shop girl falls for a Hockey playing hottie. A lighthearted romance with an Edward who's good with his stick and a Bella with no fliter. Two enthusiastic thumbs up for lemons and laughs.**

**Sleeping Angel by Blueissoul - *Lay puts on her lady-balls because this one's angsty* My love from London, Blueissoul, is back with a heartbreakingly beautiful story about love and loss. We're only five chapters in, but this one is not to be missed. **

**Thanks so much for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – Never cockblock a friend.  
__#dontbethatgirl_

"_After you, Sweets."_

"Thanks," I squeak, when I pass him and pray to all that's holy that he doesn't notice I'm all flustered and pink-cheeked.

Embry Call, who has a mad crush on Rose, practically throws old Mrs. Cope to the ground in an effort to seat us. "Two today, Rosie?" He asks hopefully, though I don't miss the quick size up of Edward.

"Three actually." Remembering her manners all of a sudden, she does introductions before letting Embry's imagination get the best of him. "This is Edward Cullen. Our parents are getting married in a few months, so…" She trails off, letting Embry connect the dots.

"How ya' doin'?" Edward gives him a chin nod and shakes his hand.

Relieved, Embry wipes the mean mug off his face and smiles at his new non-competition. "Embry Call. Nice to meet you, man." Rose grabs a few menus and motions to her favorite booth, wanting the okay to take it. "Sure thing, I'll give you guys a few minutes to decide."

On auto-pilot, we head back, and I take my usual seat across from Rose. Normally, we peruse the menu and pretend like we might get something other than our usual, knowing full well that we'll order the same old, same old. Although nothing feels the same today, especially when Edward slides in next to me, invading my personal space in the best possible way.

"So what's good here?" he asks, opening the menu, clearly unaffected by the effect his presence has on me.

"Everything, but we usually just get dessert." Rose doesn't even look up from her menu.

She misses all of it – like the way my cheeks heat when he leans into me, his upper arm grazing my shoulder. Or the way my teeth rake over my lip when his bouncing knee stills, pressing his leg flush against mine. I make no move to remove it, and much to my sheer delight, neither does he. Tucked safely behind our menu wall, I watch his lips curl into a small smile as he reads over his options. His voice drops so low that I can barely make out what he says. "I'm in the mood for somethin' sweet, myself."

"I'm gonna get my usual," I blurt a little too loudly, snapping my menu shut. Obviously my Edward induced Tourette syndrome is making a spectacular comeback.

"And what's that?"

"She always gets the Nifty's Original," Rose pipes up again. "Four types of ice cream, hot fudge, caramel, and butterscotch with nuts and whipped cream." She finally looks up from her menu, smirking. "It should be served with a side of insulin, so I can stab her when her sugar spikes."

My middle finger twitches, itching to tell her she's number one, but Edward nudges me as he gets up. "Sounds good. Order me one if he comes around," he says and knocks on the table twice. "Be right back."

Rose watches him walk away until we can no longer hear his shoes squeaking on the checkered floor. Once he's out of earshot, the interrogation begins.

"Uh…_hi_." She folds her arms across her chest and leans forward. "Hashtag, what the fuck?"

It appears she's missed nothing, and shit's about to get real because she's speaking in hashtags. "What do you mean?"

"Seriously? You're going to make me say it out loud?"

_Yes, because then it's real and not a fucking figment of my imagination, which it very well could be._ "First, how about we talk about what happened with you and Royce?" She huffs and rolls her eyes, slumping back in her seat. "I'm serious, I feel like a bad friend. Shouldn't we be holed up in your room, listening to Adele and eating our weight in Nutella?" She snorts and shakes her head. "Me telling you that I've always thought he was a douche canoe and you admitting he has a tiny dick."

"So, have you decided ladies?" Embry appears out of thin air, grinning from ear to ear from catching the tail end of our conversation.

Straightening in her seat, Rose gives him her best 'extra cherries please' smile. "We are. They'll each have a Nifty's Original, and I'll have a Turtle Sundae."

"Extra cherries with that?"

She nods, handing him our menus before adding all breathy, "I do love cherries."

"Shameful." I cluck my tongue at her when he leaves the table. She shrugs, positively pleased with her innuendo. "That boy couldn't even write down our order, he had to keep the tray down to cover his massive erection."

Edward snickers from behind me and for the second time today, I'm caught waxing intellectual on penises. "That's pretty cold, Rose," he says, sliding into the booth.

While we wait for our food, Rose makes a genuine effort to get to know her soon-to-be sibling. She goes for the obvious deets first. He's eighteen, a registered organ donor, enjoys _Call of Duty,_ and as soon as he learns to change a tire, oil, and a laundry list of other manly car maintenance stuff, he'll be rolling around the town in a Jeep Wrangler. I wonder if the Jeep 4X4 soft top is an apology from Carlisle for uprooting him from the only life he's ever known, before his senior year no less. Oddly, I sense no resentment toward Carlisle from Edward. Maybe he and Rose have more in common than she thinks.

Sadly, talk of his new car brings up the painful topic of my truck. I'm still kicking myself for not asking Eric Yorkie to come over and play _Taps_ as my baby was towed away.

"It was the biggest piece of shit, EVER!" Rose chimes in when I tell Edward that I'm sans wheels these days.

"It was a classic. You show some respect."

"It was rust holding hands."

Edward leans into me once again. "This one's a bit of a ballbuster, isn't she?"

"The biggest."

Embry shows up with our order. "Nifty Originals for you two." He slides one in front of each of us. "And a turtle sundae with extra cherries." The tray moves over his crotch the minute Rose grabs one and sucks it into her mouth. The poor boy can't get to the bathroom fast enough.

Edward laughs. "You're evil."

They fall into easy conversation again, talking about the housewarming party their parents are throwing this Friday. Edward's under the impression it'll be a low-key affair, obviously he doesn't understand how Esme rolls. Nothing brings small town folks out like the promise of free food, drinks, and hot gossip. They're curious about the outsiders, and I'm certain Esme is dying to show off her new fiancé.

I only halfway listen as Rose breaks it down for the big city boy while I concentrate on taking slow, dainty, ladylike bites and not eating this ice cream like a Neanderthal. It's hard to do all that and smoothly check out the ice cream eating habits of my new… acquaintance, obsession, I don't know what to call him.

"What do you guys do around here?" He waves his spoon around. "You know, for fun?"

He looks amused like we're going to tell him something like cow tipping or fly-fishing. Sadly, he's not too far off the mark. Panicked, I look at Rose, hoping she has something to make us sound less lame than we really are.

"We make our own fun," she says confidently. "Boating, parties… there's actually a bonfire at the beach on Saturday." She motions to me then back to her. "Wanna go with us? Meet your peers?"

My eyes meet his when his knee brushes against mine. I nearly die when his tongue peeks out over his bottom lip wetting it, and his mouth eases into a smile that surely no girl can resist. "It's a date."

* * *

The next day, I'm still playing his words over in my head. Analyzing the touches and looks, I scrutinize every detail. Rose is on her way over to hang out; unfortunately we can't discuss it because the rest of the crew will be here as well.

The last thing I need is for Alice to get wind that I'm remotely interested in someone. It'll be Tyler Crowley all over again. I'll never forget how pleased she seemed with herself when she told me how guys like Tyler perceive me. _Friendly, not fuckable_. First Tyler and then Garrett, I find it odd how every guy I've ever liked found her both friendly and fuckable within days of me admitting my crush to her. _Not this time, though_.

"James is just really private." I hear Victoria say seconds before my bedroom door opens. "That's why he doesn't want anyone to know about us."

Dear, sweet, naïve Victoria. She and James are Port Townsend's worst kept secret. It's a damn shame she's too sprung on him to see what a scumbag he is. Cocky and condescending, the guy is a total prick. I don't get the appeal. My best guess is that he has a ten inch dick. God bless her for seeing the good in everyone. I just hate how he strings her along.

Alec rolls his eyes at her and taps his temple. "Crazy doesn't take a day off."

"I'm not crazy," she says, smiling at her hands. "When we're alone, he's so sweet. I know he's serious about me."

"He's serious about a part of you, doll." He gently tugs on one of her curly tendrils, watching it spring back into position. "And it's got red hair too."

"Eww," Rose shudders, and I throw a pillow at him.

Victoria smacks his arm three times. "You. Are. Disgusting!"

"Really Alec?" Alice asks, darkening my doorway. "Fire crotch jokes are beneath even _you_."

I gum my lips when Alec gives her the finger. There's no love lost between those two. A proclivity for making snide remarks and a keen fashion sense are all they have in common. Well, other than the whole mean girl persona.

"So what's the plan for the weekend?" I ask, sensing a showdown brewing between our most volatile pack members.

"Housewarming on Friday," Rose says without looking up from her phone. "Bonfire on Saturday night."

Victoria groans. "I can't go on Saturday. I'm babysitting at the Banners."

Alec plops into my desk chair and starts logging into his Facebook account from my laptop. "So who's on James watch?"

Three sets of eyes land on me. "Not it." I say firmly, reaching for my iPad.

All conversation ceases with each of us focusing on our electronics. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter will surely be the death of conversation as we know it. We're like the Matrix, processing and analyzing hundreds of bits of information in real time.

Alice is the first to speak. "Ha! That Irina what's her face just posted a status that says she's so over all the drama on Facebook and all the fake people…blah, blah, blah. She's out of here."

This is not a surprise. Irina is one of those drama llamas who threatens to deactivate her account at least once a week. She's the kind of person you want to unfriend on principle, but they're such a train wreck, you can't help but keep them around to watch them implode.

"So then this Claire girl comments 'You are the drama on Facebook. Hashtag - stay gone this time.' " We all laugh because I mean really, who doesn't enjoy a good burn on a thread? Alice nods her head approvingly, adding "I'm gonna give her a like on that one."

"Claire who?" Alec asks, frantically scrolling through his feed, looking for the thread.

Alice shrugs. "Who the fuck knows, I'm not friends with her."

"And cue the friend request in 3,2,1," Rose mutters.

"I know, right?" Victoria says through a laugh. "She's probably two hand masturbating over that 'like' as we speak."

Silence consumes us again, each of us watching the thread, waiting for likes and comments or the next level of social media warfare: the rebuttal rant. There's nothing more entertaining than when a Facebook fight breaks out. People who have no idea what the situation is come out of the woodwork to add their two snarky cents, and it goes on and on until it's nearly impossible to differentiate who's a perpetrator, an instigator, a victim, or a spectator. I often wonder if Mark Zuckerberg knew what he was doing when he created this true weapon of mass destruction.

"Hey kids." My dad leans against the door, beer in hand.

"Hi Charlie." The girls greet him in unison.

Alec gives him the guy nod. "Chief."

"So a…" He gestures with his Vitamin R to each of us. "What are you guys doing?"

"Hanging out." I quirk my brow at him, hoping he gets the hint to beat it.

"Is that what you kids call it these days?"

"Charlie, come on. Leave them alone." My mom yells up from the kitchen and thankfully, he listens.

"It's not right, Renee. They don't even talk." Like a scolded child, he petulantly stomps down the stairs. "It's not normal." _He's probably right._

Victoria's phone starts going off, some shitty Nickelback song that makes me want to puke in my mouth blaring louder than necessary. "It's James," she sighs, giving Alec an 'I told you so' look before slipping into the bathroom, away from the prying ears and judging eyes.

"I broke up with Royce this week," Rose says in the same monotone she broke the news to me in. "I just wanted to tell you guys before I changed my status to single."

"Oh my God, you poor thing!" Alice stands and hugs her tight. "What happened?"

Indifferent and uncomfortable, Rose shirks out of the hug. "I was over it." The notification comes over the feed. _Rosalie Platt is single_. "I've been over it for a while now."

"Oh, honey…" Alice rubs her back, ignoring the fact that everything in Rose's posture is screaming 'bad touch'. "I hear ya', I was so over Garrett too."

"Uh, no." Alec calls Alice out. "_Rose_ is single and fabulous." He snaps his fingers in Rose's direction. "You, on the other hand…well, you got dismissed."

"ALEC!" Rose chastises, while I shake my head in disapproval though I die laughing on the inside.

"What?" Wide-eyed and defensive, he holds his hands up in surrender, though I don't miss the self-satisfied set of his mouth. "I was just kidding. Can't we joke anymore?"

I recognize his tactic immediately, giving her a taste of her own medicine. Alice is notorious for saying something shitty and then playing it off as a joke. Or embarrassing the shit out of someone in a status or a tweet and then claiming she was drunk and meant no offense. Thinly veiled insults are her specialty, she wraps them up in a pretty bow of 'with all due respect' and 'just sayin'' to make her look like she's gifting the recipient with her input.

"Say you're sorry!" Rose demands.

"Fine, I'm sorry." He doesn't sound sorry. "Jesus, it was a joke, not a dick, you don't have to take it so hard."

"Fuck off, Alec!" I don't even have to look at Alice to know that her eyes are narrowed into slits and she's about thirty seconds away from kicking his ass. Fortunately for Alec, a smiling Victoria practically skips out of the bathroom, positively giddy.

"I'm out, kids." She scoops up her purse, oblivious to the tension in the room. "James needs a ride to work."

"Oh Vic," Alice starts in, tilting her head condescendingly. "I'm like second-hand embarrassed for you right now, being on call for a guy who doesn't even acknowledge your existence."

Victoria's face falls, though she sits there and takes it. We all sit there and take it. Alice likes us. I can't imagine being on the receiving end if she didn't. It's almost easier this way.

"It's kind of…pathetic that you can't see that he's using you." Alice's voice sits somewhere between genuine concern and all out malice. "I mean, really," she says with a chuckle, "I couldn't tell if you took a shit in there or if it's just desperation I smell."

Her words are way harsh, though I can't decide if it's the vitriol simmering beneath the surface that she's spewing them with or the tinge of truth within them. Once again, Rose acts as the voice of reason, placing a calming hand on Alice's forearm and gently mouthing the word 'stop'.

"What?" She rips her arm from Rose's hold. "I'm just sayin' what everyone here is thinking." The bed creaks as I shift, bringing my knees to my chest. Alice's eyes are on me instantly. "Right, Bella?"

I know I'm silent for a beat too long when Victoria looks to me, pleading with me not to say she's right.

_Kinder than is necessary_. My mother's words of wisdom usually ring true in situations like these. "I want you to be happy."

"And…" Alice prods, wanting me to do her dirty work and say the words to break her best friend's heart.

"And… I think you should be with someone who proudly has you on his arm." Victoria stiffens at my words. "Not at arm's length."

"So you think I should be with someone else?"

I shrug. "Maybe. I don't know. Maybe just don't be so…available to him." Rose and Alec back me up with a nod, while Alice looks on pleased as punch with herself. Victoria's eyes tear up, so I add, "You deserve the best."

"Okay," she says softly, "I'll see you guys tomorrow night."

"Wait up!" Alice follows her out the door. "Drop me off at home, will ya?"

We listen for the front door to shut before we speak. Once the coast is clear, the silence remains, much like the destruction in the wake of Hurricane Alice.

* * *

Never one to miss an opportunity to embarrass me or annoy the shit out of my neighbors, Alec lays on the horn as I run to his car.

"Tick, tock, Swan! We're missing good gossip." He's right. The housewarming starts in an hour, and everyone knows that the early bird always get the worms, or in this case, the scoop, while the fashionably late ones just get talked about. I barely have the car door closed before he's peeling out of my driveway and turning up an obnoxious Katy Perry song.

Under normal circumstances, I'd veto the current song selection, but I'm far too preoccupied, hoping to have another close encounter of the Edward Cullen kind. This will also be the first time I'm seeing the new family all together, under one roof, and a new one at that.

Carlisle greets us at the door with a big smile. "Bella!" He pulls me in for a half-hug and a smooch on the cheek. _I only wish his son could be so friendly._ He welcomes Alec with the same enthusiasm, minus the kiss. "And you must be Alec."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Cullen."

"Call me Carlisle." I hear cackling coming from down the hallway. "The girls are in the kitchen." He jerks his thumb in the direction of the laughter. Turning back to Alec, he pats him on the back and starts walking him out to the grill area. "Men are out here on the deck, son." I laugh when he opens the screen door for him. "You like steak, Alec? 'Cause I've got the best steaks out here. They're Allen Brothers. I know a guy…"

My mom has the floor, so I'm certain I've walked in at a pivotal point in the conversation. I make note of the fact that the pitcher of Sangria is nearly empty, and I'm willing to bet it's not the first one of the evening given the volume of my mom's voice and the slight sway in Esme's stance.

"I ran into her in the freezer section the other day. And there I was, trying to be all nice, saying 'hello', and asking her how she was doing. You know, being a decent human being," mom says before pausing, waiting for Esme and the girls to concur that her intentions were obviously nothing but noble. "Then I mention that I hear congratulations are in order and ask her if she's excited to be a _grandma_." The girls nod, only Zafrina gives her the 'oh no you didn't' look. That's why I love Zee, she keeps it real even when keeping it real isn't cool. "And do you know what that sad, Southern sack of fat said to me?"

"What'd she say?" Tanya asks, helping herself to the last of the wine.

"She said, 'Bless. Your. Heart.' "

The girls collectively gasp, only Zafrina skips the shock and goes straight to the 'oh hell no'. "She told you to go fuck yourself?"

Nodding with her eyes closed, my mom confirms the insult.

It occurs to me that they're talking about the only Southerner we know, Mrs. Young, mother to Emily Young who's a couple years older than me. Word on the street is that Emily is knocked up. The ladies are going to shit when they find out the baby daddy is none other than Sam Uley, fiancé to one Leah Clearwater. Poor Sue has the salon booked for an entire Saturday in October to accommodate the wedding party. It's only a matter of time until the truth comes out. Like my mom always says, 'what's done in the dark will always come to light'.

Once Mom registers my presence, the girls greet me, but it's Esme who puts me to work. "Bella honey, run out to the garage and grab my jello cake and the fruit tray from the fridge, will you?"

"Er sure, but where's the garage?"

"Down the hall, it's the first door on your left." She waves her drink in the general vicinity.

I hear voices and music coming from the garage. The moment I open the door, I wish I hadn't. Edward is leaning against the front of his jeep with his arms folded across his chest with a very familiar amused expression. Victoria's there as well. Though I can't see her face, the way she's pushing out her ass as she points to random car parts under the open hood, it's not hard to guess why he's smiling.

"And what's this one?" she asks in a baby soft voice.

"The battery."

She points again, this time her voice sounds a little less baby soft and a little more Marilyn Monroe. "And what about this one?"

The corners of his mouth turn up. "Still the battery."

Neither one of them notices me in the doorway, but even from here I recognize the intent in her stance. Shoulders back, tits up, she's assuming the position. Like a Best in Show dog at Westminster, she's practically posing, allowing him to assess her assets. _And what…a bitch…she is_.

I'm unable to register which emotion I'm feeling most at the moment. Fury, jealousy, embarrassment, and maybe even a smidge of self-pity, either way, I know I'm irrational. I make myself known, ripping the refrigerator door open and grabbing the cake.

"Lemme help you with that, Sweets."

He rushes over and places his hand on my lower back for a split second, taking the casserole dish from my grasp. I'm momentarily dazed by the brief touch and the familiar term of endearment, but a glance at Victoria behind him snaps me back to reality, real quick. "Be careful," I tell him. "There's Cool Whip all over the sides of the dish." So fast I almost miss it, he sucks the whipped topping off his thumb. My gratitude for his assistance comes out far more breathy than I intend it to. "Thanks."

Dipping his chin, he gives me a wink and a wicked grin as he walks into the house. "Anytime."

Thankfully, he doesn't look back at what I'm sure is my stunned expression. Victoria sidles up beside me, and I wonder if she caught all that.

"Hey," I say awkwardly, hoping that she didn't notice that I nearly tore the refrigerator door off its hinges.

I hear the distinct sound of texting. "What's his last name?"

"Cullen," I answer without thinking, pulling out the fruit tray. The frenzied clicking on her phone gives me pause. "Why?"

"Friend request." Smiling bright, she holds the door open for me. "I think you may be right after all."

"About what?"

With fierce conviction and the utmost confidence, she cockblocks me with my own words. "I _do_ deserve the best."

_Fuck my life._

* * *

**A/N: Many thanks to Fic Sisters and The Lemonade Stand for getting the word out about this fic – you guys have sent us some fantastic new readers and we're so very grateful.**

**Carrie ZM is buzzing with excitement over her recs this week, so without further ado – let's let it WIP!**

_**Hollywood**_** by Allihavetodoisdream - *Carrie ZM puts on her red lipstick and Lay bites her pearls* Age ain't nothing but a number for this Olderward and a Bella who's too glam to give a damn. Hot sparks, UST, and a newbie writer doin' it and doin' it and doin' it well****. Hooray for Hollywood!**

_**Balancoire**_** by gemini13me – Tie up your pointe shoe ribbons and tighten that bun because this fic has an Intenseward. Bella is a ballerina taken under the wing of Edward, a former dancer and perfectionist. Think soft leather, stern stares and beautiful heat in motion. Don't miss it. **

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you next week when we post live from the TFMU in Nashville!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.**

* * *

_Girl Code – Never EVER flirt with the object of your friend's affections.  
__#trifflin'_

_Fuck my life._

The next few hours are a blur of fake smiles and stolen sips of Sangria. Stewing, I watch Victoria watching him. It's like she's got a homing device on him, he moves, she moves. A small part of me is smug when he makes no effort to initiate conversation with her, but I'm instantly annoyed again when his indifference doesn't deter her. When I've had my fill of her louder than necessary laughter and incessant hair flipping, I head into the house under the guise of cleaning up.

Somehow the idea of mindlessly scrubbing pots and pans appeals to me. Scraping burnt cheese from a casserole dish is a welcome distraction from my irrational outrage over dibs I never called and the act of treason she doesn't know she's committed. It's the worst feeling when you know you're being absurd, yet you can't seem to contain the crazy.

I'm pissed at myself for encouraging her to want better for herself when she was perfectly blissful in her James bubble. Then the more I mull it over, the more livid I become with Alice, because if I really think about it, it's technically all her fault. _Motherfucking, Alice_.

I throw the sponge into the sink in frustration, looking out the open window for the first time since I banished myself to the kitchen. Victoria is taking snapshots of the happy family, squealing for them to 'smile' in her fake-ass fun voice. There's nothing fake about the genuine happiness radiating from Esme and Carlisle. He holds her close, kissing her temple between shots. They may very well be the most photogenic family I've ever seen, they're like a toothpaste commercial with their pearly whites and flawless skin.

Carlisle pulls Edward's cap from his head, only to reveal a mess of bronzy-brown hair. When he runs a nervous hand through the chaos, muddling it further, I find it adorable and I wonder if it's as soft as it looks. The sun hits it at just the right angle, making the golden red highlights really stand out. That's when the bitter hag in me reappears, wondering if Victoria is at this very moment naming the 2.5 bronze-haired babies she plans on having with him.

I get back to the business of dishwashing, tackling the disgusting crock-pot. This time guilt fuels my scouring frenzy. I feel a sliver of shame for the hateful thoughts I'm thinking and for each roll of my eyes at her expense. I'm also a little more than embarrassed at how worked up I am over this guy. Truth be told, I hold no claim on him, unspoken or otherwise.

"Hey you," A tipsy Esme says from behind me, with an armful of plates. "You don't have to do that."

"I know, just wanted to help out."

"So listen," she leans in whispering way too loudly to be discreet, "I need to ask you something."

Sweet Jesus, please don't let her ask about Rose and Royce, and please let Rose have told her that she gave him his walking papers. "Sure, what's up?"

"How's Rose doing with everything?"

_Play dumb_. "Everything as in..."

"Well, you know." My expression must be blank enough to clue her in that I _don't_ know. "A new house, a new sibling," she looks out at Carlisle, "new dad."

"Oh." Realization dawns on me that she's concerned more about his moving into her life than Royce moving out of it. "Yeah, totally." Thankful I can be honest, I add, "She's really happy for you."

She sighs, relieved. "Good. I've just been worried about her with all the big changes, and then she goes and tells me that she and Royce decided to take a little break."

She plays with the pendant on her necklace, staring unseeing out the window. Her choice of words is interesting to me with regards to them 'taking a break'. I wonder if Rose posed it that way to buy herself some time. From what I can tell, Rose is all Taylor Swift on the subject of Royce, because they are never, ever getting back together. At least I hope that's the case.

I feel her press a kiss to the top of my head and wrap me in a hug that's just as familiar as one from my own mother. "Thank you, Bella." Wagging her brows, she grabs a bottle of wine and the corkscrew and makes her way back to the party.

I lose myself in thought again, this time making a plan to detach myself from all things Edward. This means no more entertaining the possibility of Edward and me, or thinking about Edward in general. I'll avoid him like the plague. No more shameless ogling or hanging on his every-accented word. No more craving cheek kisses or casual brushes. I'll neutralize him until he's nothing more than Rose's super hot, sex-haired, flirtatious brother. _Easy as pie._

"Hiding out in here, Sweets?"

The sound of his voice startles then excites me, completely nullifying my best laid plan to forget about him. _Do not flirt._ "Sweets." I say it like it's a dirty word. "Is that what you call all the girls?" I make a point not to look at him, because if I look… "I'm starting to think that you don't even know my name." _Stop flirting!_

I can feel him standing next to me, but I still refuse to look. "I know your name." His hands grip the edge of the sink. "I just think you're sweet."

I outwardly snort and inwardly swoon at his ridiculously cheesy line. "Yeah, well, I'm not feeling particularly sweet right now." I grumble, scrubbing the shit out of a plate.

"Dish pan hands?" he asks. I hold up a hideous rubber gloved hand, modeling my Molly Maid couture and letting him know that itchy skin isn't what has me down. "You know, you could've just used the dishwasher," he says, reaching around me, pulling open a drawer and grabbing a towel. I look down and see there _is_ a sleek looking appliance to my right. The word 'motherfucker' is on the tip of my tongue when I feel his breath on my ear and hear my name whispered from his lips. "Bella."

We're quiet as we work, me washing and rinsing, him drying and smirking. "So what did I miss out there?"

He shakes his head, looking out the window. "A whole lot of nothin'. Dad's telling everyone about the hot tub he's putting in next week."

_How does Rose forget to tell me this shit?_ "You guys are getting a hot tub?"

"Uh yeah," he says with a shrug, "my dad knows a guy back home."

He tells me all about Carlisle's guy, who happens to be the uncle of one of his old employees. Apparently his dear old dad can't pass up a deal, even if Edward thinks this hot tub probably fell off the back of a truck. I laugh when he tells me how Carlisle and Esme looked pissed when Rose insisted on a no hook-up in the hot tub policy. By the time I hand him the last dish to dry, I almost forget what had me doing dishes in the first place.

_Almost_.

"So I'll see you tomorrow night?" he asks and I swear he sounds hopeful as he walks backwards in the direction of the garage. I nod slowly, feeling a tinge of guilt and a flood of glee. "Good." He knocks twice on the counter and turns away.

"Thanks for helping with the dishes!"

"Anytime, Sweets."

He's barely out of sight before Victoria's pulling open the screen door, cheesing at me. "Oh my God, what did he say?" I must look like a deer in the headlights, but she doesn't seem to register my expression. "Did he ask about me?" I hear the excitement in her voice and the heaping helping of haterade I swallowed earlier comes bubbling up again to the surface.

"Nope." I realize I may have said that a smidge too sharply, so I soften it with a quick truth. "He was just talking about the hot tub and stuff."

"Oh." Her face falls slightly while she checks her phone. "Hmm."

"What?"

"He hasn't accepted my friend request." Her lips twist to one side in disappointment. My guilty conscience eats at me and just as I go to say something reassuring, James' ringtone starts blaring. I don't miss the smile on her face, and for a split second, I'm hopeful that Edward is an errant thought, not a sure thing. My hopes are dashed the moment she declines the call.

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

"Nope." She sounds both proud and pleased with herself. "I'm not available." Turning to leave, she spares me a glance and gives me a wave. "Talk to you later, B."

"Bye!" I say with all the meanness I can muster once I hear the front door shut.

I tear off the rubber gloves and slap them on the sink. The act doesn't feel nearly as satisfying as say, tossing a plate against a wall would. I pull out my phone for the first time in hours, contemplating whether or not to write a pity-party status. Normally, I roll my eyes at people who post those poor me tweets and statuses in hopes that the Freddie Feelgoods of their friends and followers will come out of the woodwork to tell them that their breath smells like magic and their shit tastes like sunshine. Typically, I frown on that shit, but today I get the appeal.

My frown is quickly turned upside-down when I open my Facebook app.

_Edward Cullen would like to be friends._

I smile at my new legal loophole. We're _friends_, and as _friends_, we can talk and laugh and have little nicknames for each other. Technically, if we're _friends_, it's not flirting, it's being _friendly_. And for once, friendly is a good thing.

I accept immediately, hitting that confirm button so hard I'm surprised my thumb doesn't go through the screen. When the page updates, my smile widens even further. Usually, there is only one three word sentence that could make a girl's heart flutter the way mine is right now. While it's definitely not _those_ three words I'm reading that are causing this reaction for me, I have to imagine it's pretty damn close.

_Zero mutual friends_.

We may be just friends, but I'm going to bask in the fact that for this moment, I get to be his one and only.

* * *

Tonight's the beginning of the end, a bonfire to kick-off our senior year. I keep waiting to feel something other than indifference. Maybe it's because I know I'm not really leaving. Sure, I may go away for hair school, maybe even go to the institute in Seattle that Rose has a hard-on for. In the end though, I'll be back here, right where I started. I just want to get on with it already. It'll be the same shit, different year.

Rose beeps twice as she pulls up in her baby blue Beetle convertible, a clown car complete with a cheesy daisy in the dash. Perhaps I'm still a little bitter that _my _truck is pushing up daisies, but mostly I just hate riding in the backseat of her car, especially with the top down. Edward's riding shotgun, which means I'm in the back with a pissed off-looking Alec.

"Well don't you look nice," Alec sneers, eying my sundress speculatively, probably trying to figure out why I've churched up my look for a regular night at the beach. "It's nice to see you not looking like a lumberjack for once." Edward chuckles a bit and that's all the encouragement Alec needs, jerking his thumb in my direction. "For real, this one has a flannel fetish."

"Knock it off," Rose chastises him, standing to pull the seat back for me.

"What?" He's the picture of innocence. "I'm just complimenting her on not dressing like her father. Is that wrong?"

If there's one thing that many years of friendship with Alec has taught me, it's that the only way to shut him up is to match his cruelty. "Says the guy who rocked Justin Bieber hair for the past five years."

Rose's cackle echoes all around us as she raises her hand in the air, requesting the highest of fives from me and complimenting my cutting remark."You're ruthless!"

I slap her hand, looking at a smiling yet stunned-looking Alec. "You better Bielieb it."

The ride to the beach is short but windy. Rose and Alec appear to suffer from the same shitty music appreciation affliction, forcing my ears to bleed while they sing along to a Miley Cyrus song. By the time the song is over, I'm actually praying for a wrecking ball to hit us and put us out of our misery. However, the silver lining of the whole car ride is stealing glances at my new _friend_.

Alice is waiting for us in the parking lot, probably not wanting to rub elbows just yet with the unwashed masses of Port Townsend High School, at least not without her loyal subjects to flank her. There's safety in numbers.

"Fucking finally." Alice takes a sip from her McDonald's cup, filled with vodka and lemonade no doubt. "I was beginning to think you guys were going to ditch me here with Peter."

Ah Peter, the good ol' faithful stand-by, Mr. Waiting-in-the-wings. His head is so far up her ass and yet he won't say shit, even though he has a mouthful. He walks up behind her, wrapping a hopeful arm around her shoulder. "There they are."

Huffing, she removes his hand and levels him with a glare that says 'no touchy, me no likey', but her words are for us. "Let's go."

Rose leads, threading her arm through mine. There may be safety in numbers, but there's strength in friendships. In high school, it's all about who you know. Those connections can shape you, make you, and break you. Or in my case, they can elevate you until you're damn near untouchable.

I hear Alec behind me, inhaling deeply, taking in the salt, the smoke and the weed in the air. I'll bet he's memorizing it, his beginning of the end. The moment he graduates he'll be out of here, chasing big city dreams with his sister, Jane, in New York.

We smile and wave at all the familiar faces. It looks like just about every sect of the senior class is making an appearance tonight. Sadly, there are also those sad freaks who've graduated already hanging out as well. Dudes who are probably striking out in college often show up at the high school parties to poach from the willing, barely legal student population.

We sit on a couple of blankets near the fire, and I find myself hoping that the flames and wine coolers aren't the only things that will keep me warm tonight.

"So let me give you the lay of the land here, Edward." Alec says, plopping down beside me, leaving space for Edward to sit next to him.

"What do you mean?" Alice asks with a sneer. "This is high school, Anytown, USA. You've got your standard jocks, nerds, sluts, cool kids, and the rest who don't matter."

"Wrong." He pinches his thumb and forefinger together. "One should not simplify our complex social structure. We're anything but standard."

"Whatever," she mutters, searching the crowd and looking for Garrett most likely.

"Let's see." He peruses the area then dips his bottle in the direction of Eric Yorkie's group. "First we have fucking Narnia over there. If you want to play Quidditch and LARP and have zero prospect of getting laid ever – go hang with those dorks."

Edward chuckles quietly before taking a long pull from his beer.

Alec moves on to the next group, the Goth kids. "If you're into writing emo poetry about death being your bitch lover, those are the freaks on a leash for you, my friend." Closing my eyes, I shake my head at his Korn reference. "Truth Ruth." He nods at his words like they're gospel. "Get yourself the standard issue black trench coat, a mesh shirt, and some badly applied eyeliner. You'll be the fuckin' Crow."

_Where does he get this shit?_ "Oh my God, you're ridiculous!"

Incredulous, he scoffs. "You're ridiculous. You know I'm right." Brushing me off, he continues. "Okay, next we have the FFA, also known as the Future Fishermen of America." He may be right on the money about this one. "They're a weird bunch. Half those guys are graduated already. They're just waiting until the next boat goes out."

Emmett McCarty's head snaps our way, and Alec pipes down real quick. I think he graduated last year, I'm not sure though. All I know is that last year he was the Port Townsend quintessential bad boy. He has a sleeve of tattoos, piercings, and a reputation of general bad-assery, though I don't recall exactly how he got that rap.

"I'll be right back." Rose says, hopping up and not looking back before adding, "I gotta get something in my car."

Probably her water, she's not a drinker – too much of a control freak. It's either that or she's scared shitless of her mother. Hell, I'm scared of her mom, so I don't blame her. Fact, Esme is one of the sweetest people on earth, until you piss her off. She is the crazy to my mom's snarky. Someone should probably warn Carlisle.

"Now if you're a fan of making bad decisions, I recommend you visit that crew over there." Alec starts up again, pointing to the area where Jasper and James are holding court under a cloud of smoke. "That's Jasper Whitlock. Cool guy, sells the best weed hands down."

"He's a prick," Alice butts in. I'm not sure why but Jasper and Alice absolutely despise each other. I'm talking pure hatred with the passion of a thousand fiery suns. It's bizarre because Jasper is normally so chill, but something about her brings out the worst in him.

"See those chicks over there?" Alec points over where Lauren, Chelsea, and their band of merry minions are standing and laughing loudly. More than likely tipsy from whatever's really in those water bottles. "They're all-"

Alice smacks his leg and mouths the word 'Victoria' to him, letting him know that he is not to tell him about the sure things of Port Townsend. Shamefully, I'm glad she stopped him as well, even though my relief is not on Victoria's behalf.

Alec redirects, motioning to Edward. "You play sports?" Edward nods. "Then you may want to go with the jocks." He smirks at Alice. "There's lots of ball handing and ass tapping going on there as well."

Ben Cheney calls Alice and Alec over, leaving Edward and I there. Alone.

"So…" I lean back on my hands, spreading out on the blanket.

"So," he starts, scooting a little closer as well, stretching his legs, and brushing mine in the process. "Is that how it is around here?"

"Yes and no."

I tilt my head and begin my version of our class's general make-up. I explain that while on the surface, Alec's assessment is mostly right, I see these people differently due to history. Going group by group, I tell him about each of the members, who they are, who's dated who and what they're all about. He watches me intently as he listens and laughs.

"What about that guy?" He asks, nodding towards Mike Newton, the only guy in the Goth group I didn't mention. "What's his story?"

"That's Mike." I laugh, because I know Edward sees a Goth kid with jet black chin-length hair. I still see the blonde-haired, brace-faced eighth grader wearing a blue polo with a popped collar. "He was my first kiss."

"Really?" He draws out the word, smiling but sizing him up before nudging me. "The Marilyn Manson look does it for you, huh?"

I can't even contain my smile or the ultra-girly laugh I let out, giddy at his touch. "You know it."

We're quiet for a moment, just kind of staring at each other. I see the reflection of the fire in his eyes, and I feel like I'm being burned. _And I love how it burns._

The next few hours go by quick. People come and go, making awkward small talk and trying to get the scoop on the new kid. I try not to listen when Alice sits next to Edward, feeling him out on what he thinks of Victoria. _Try_ being the operative word. Eavesdropping is like second nature to me. You know what they say about eavesdroppers though; they often don't like what they hear. Thankfully, that's not the case for me tonight. When she stops beating around the bush and directly asks him what he thinks of her, he doesn't answer with words like pretty or hot or fuckable. He goes with the word 'nice'.

Alice's face says it all. _Nice_ is not the word she's looking for. She can't go back to Victoria with the word 'nice'. _Nice_ is like a one-way ticket to the friend zone. Alice is going to have to get very creative to make his response sound promising.

With a huge smile firmly plastered to my face, we head back to the car. A somewhat shit-faced Alec calls shotgun, skipping arm in arm with Rosalie through the parking lot. Edward smirks as he holds the door open for me, ushering me into the backseat with him.

The top comes down and Miley's back on. Rose and Alec are once again belting out the song at the top of their lungs, though I can barely hear them over the wind whipping all around us. I lean my head back, watching the passing sky, for the first time ever enjoying the close quarters of the Beetle's backseat. _Maybe clown cars aren't so bad after all. _Just as I go to close my eyes, Ifeel his hand awkwardly cover mine, turning it slowly and entwining our fingers.

I look to our joined hands, then to him, wondering what this could mean…for our friendship. His eyes seem to be asking the same question, but I can't be sure. Whatever it is though, I know I want it. I give his hand a gentle squeeze, and the smile he gives me melts me from the inside out, making my heart race and warmth pulse throughout my entire body.

The pang of guilt I should feel is noticeably absent. I'm pretty certain it'll hit me tomorrow…like a fucking wrecking ball.

* * *

**A/N: Woohoo! Posting live from TFMU in Nashville, TN where I get to hang with my loves Carrie ZM, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy Cabanaboy. I've got some major fangirling to do, so without further ado…**

**It's time for LayZM to let it WIP!**

_**A Bitter Cold **_**by LovinRob **_**– **_**LovinRob brings the angst and the OHHHH YEAH once again when Bella and Edward have to go back to New York to settle old scores in this sequel to A Dry Heat. Big love for this fic and this lady!**

_**Goodbye Peter Pan**_** by Bled Dry - *Carrie ZM twirls* Legit loving this fic. It's a new author, laying down a cool new twist on New Moon. Vampward/Canon characters – make sure to sink your teeth into this one, peeps.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – Never be shady and go behind a friend's back  
__#shadedontfade_

_The pang of guilt I should feel is noticeably absent. I'm pretty certain it'll hit me tomorrow…like a fucking wrecking ball._

Twelve hours. I only get twelve hours to bask in my post-Edward hand-hold glow before Victoria shows up at my door with an iced coffee and an arm full of back-to-school outfits to try on.

"Good morning," she says all sing-songy, handing me the coffee before motioning to Alec behind her. "He's in a bad way this morning."

"I can see that." Alec has his sunglasses on, though not a ray of sun is filtering through the cloud cover. "Thanks for the coffee." I toast her with it before taking a sip and my stomach knots with guilt at her thoughtful gesture.

Alec grumbles his 'hello' and we head up to my room. I make a bee-line for my bed and immediately crawl under the covers since I won't be participating in the little fashion show we have going.

"So, how was the bonfire?" Victoria yells from behind the bathroom door.

She sounds so hopeful, it makes me want to cringe a little and kick her a lot. "Meh. Same old, same old."

"Well, who was there?"

"Pretty much everyone except for you," Alec butts in, making his fingers look like a gun and shooting himself in the temple, collapsing onto the end of my bed.

"James showed up." I throw it out there, hoping she takes the bait.

She walks out, straightening a low cut V-neck and pushing down the front of her short-shorts. "Yeah, he said he was going with Jasper."

I grin at the fact that James isn't entirely out of the picture. "You guys still talk?"

"Well yeah," she says as if I'm remedial, "all the time."

_I fucking knew it_. "That's cool."

"I guess so," she says with an awkward chuckle, checking herself out in the mirror. "So listen," she starts, turning to give me the third degree with her hands on her hips.

"Uh no," Alec interrupts. "Turn around, back in the bathroom. That outfit is a mess."

Slightly offended, she looks back in the full-length mirror and opens her mouth to question him, but Alec stops her short with some truth. "Class, not ass, girl."

Huffing, she heads back to the bathroom. "So did you guys happen to talk to Edward at all?"

We both confirm we did and we see her head, shoulder, and bra strap pop out from behind the door. "What did he say?"

Alec rolls his eyes, taking the lead. "About what?"

She looks at him like he's on crack. "Well me…obviously."

"Nothing to me," Alec says and looks to me. "Bella?"

I drag my teeth over my bottom lip and shake my head in the negative, shamefully hiding a small smile.

"Huh." Confusion evident in her tone, she goes back to trying on clothes. "Well Alice said that he told her that he liked me." When she steps out of the bathroom, she's wearing a black sleeveless dress and a face-splitting grin. "He thinks I'm nice and _sweet_."

I push down the urge to flip my nightstand over and scream 'LIAR'. Thankfully, I'm able to keep the crazy in check. Fucking Alice, spoon-feeding the poor girl bowlfuls of bullshit. Nice, yes. Sweet, no. _I'm sweet, goddamn it! _

"I like that one," Alec twirls his finger wanting to see all angles. She really does look amazing, all long and tall and gorgeous. "Looks good." She blushes slightly at his approval. "Sophisticated with just a hint of slutty."

Before I can stop myself, the question rolls off my tongue like an accusation. "What about James?"

Still admiring her legs for days and ass for weeks in the mirror, she brushes me off. "What about him?"

"Well, I thought you liked him."

"I do," she says with a shrug, sounding utterly non-committal.

"And you like Edward too?"

Nodding, she answers in the very same tone. "Yeah." She sees my reflection in the mirror and everything about it from my furrowed brow to my slack jaw screams 'what in the ever-loving fuck'. "What?" she asks defensively. "I like them both. If James doesn't see the good thing he's got, maybe Edward will."

I take a drink from my iced coffee to cool the white-hot rage surging through my body. I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that she wants James, but has Edward behind glass in case of emergency, like on stand-by.

"I gotta take a leak," Alec grumbles on his way to the bathroom.

I watch her play with her hair, bunching it up on top of her head and then pulling it down. "Which one do _you_ think I should be with?"

Now here's where a good friend would level with her. Be completely upfront and honest about my interest in him. Tell her all about the hand holding and my zero mutual friends on Facebook status, thus proving that he's into me as well.

I _know_ this is the right thing to do.

It's also the rational thing to do, but the buck stops there, because if there's one thing I know about girls in general, it's that most of us aren't _rational_. More than likely she won't be cool about the situation and give her blessing. She'll piss on him, claim him, and James will be nothing more than a memory, because she'll be all about Edward.

Chicks before dicks. Besties before testes. Fries before guys. These are a small fraction of the rules by which _girl world_ is governed. For the most part, I hold these truths to be self evident – except in the case of Edward Cullen.

I want to be with him. So for that reason alone, as far as Victoria's concerned, I suppose I'd rather beg for forgiveness later than ask for permission.

"Which one?" She repeats, looking at me through the reflection.

I realize I still haven't answered her question, though the word 'neither' is on the very tip of my tongue.

Thankfully, Alec bursts from the bathroom with a welcome subject change. "What's the deal with Rose?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, three-parts grateful for the new topic and one-part mildly curious.

"Something's up." He plops down on my bed again, stretching his arms over his head. "She's not herself."

"Alice thinks Royce dumped her." Victoria's voice drops to a whisper, like the walls have ears. "She thinks Rose is just trying to save face."

Alec shakes his head. "No, that's not it."

"I thought she was just trying to process everything," I say, feeling slightly guilty for being too focused on her future step-brother to see that my friend may be struggling. "Why do you think that?"

"Well for starters, she's been texting someone non-stop for like the past week." He ticks off a finger. "Then last night she disappeared for over an hour."

"I don't recall her being gone _that_ long." I say, racking my brain to remember anything other than Edward.

"Well, you probably wouldn't because you were playing welcome wagon with Edward all night."

"Shut up," I say, rolling my eyes at him, and redirecting this conversation immediately because there can be no more talk of Edward. "Well, what do you think is going on?"

"I'm not sure, but _something's_ going on." The way he says it makes me think he's not just talking about Rose. "And I'm gonna find out."

* * *

"Here we are," Alec says, pulling into a spot at the PTHS parking lot.

"Why do you always insist on parking next to Jasper's van? I'm going to smell like a bong now." We both give a nod to Jasper and Garrett, who are sharing their morning blunt.

Inhaling deeply, he rolls up his window and lolls his head in my direction. "Breathe it in, Swan. For the last first time."

That's poetic – for the last first time. _Who knew a thirty second hotbox could give Alec such perspective?_ "Did you get that shit off Tumblr?"

Smiling, he drums his fingers on his steering wheel. "Are you happy or sad that this is all coming to an end?"

"I'm not sure." I tell him honestly, my eyes scanning the parking lot. "Part of me wants to get all sentimental, make my senior year like a video montage for the Vitamin C Graduation song."

He snorts. "And the other?"

I stretch and lean my head back on my seat. "The other part of me cannot bring myself to give a fuck." I bring my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around them. "I mean really, aren't you just over it?"

Nodding, he stares out the window and pushes open his door. "Every damn day, Swan."

"Hello, hello." I hear Alice approach us from behind, sounding cheery. I'm instantly suspicious and look around the parking lot to see if she's already made someone cry.

"You're in a good mood," Alec says as she links her arm with his. I don't hear a trace of apprehension in his voice; he sounds utterly amused. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

She scoffs. "What do you mean?"

"Well, normally you park in the spot your mother bought for you." He jerks his chin to the front row next to the school. Alice Brandon's a big deal; her mother even paid through the nose for a parking space to prove it. "So why are you slumming it?"

She doesn't miss a beat, smiling and nodding at everyone she passes. When she sees that Alec is waiting on her response, the smile tightens a bit. "No reason." She looks to me, appraising my outfit before greeting me. "Hey."

It appears she wants to play nice today. I'm game. "Hey."

"I love your hair." She pulls softly on the end. "Did you get highlights?" I shake my head in the negative. "Oh…well it looks good."

Alec snaps his fingers and stops dead in his tracks. "Homecoming!"

Ah, yes. That's why she's channeling Kate Middleton, she wants to be queen.

"You should give it up," he continues, relishing the scowl forming on her face. "You don't have a shot against Rosalie."

"I'm sure I can hold my own." Confidence drips from her lips as she waves to a gaggle of flat-chested, brace-faced freshmen girls.

"Yeah, well," he starts with a laugh, "it doesn't count if you vote for yourself."

Her smile falters completely before she stomps off, giving him the finger and a sweet sentiment to remember her by. "Fuck off, Alec."

"Vote for Alice," he shouts behind her and starts clapping.

"Why must you provoke her?" I ask, checking my phone one last time before first hour.

"Because I can."

I hear him typing away. "Who are you texting?"

"No one. I'm checking to see if I can order a bucket of pig blood to drop on her Homecoming night."

I laugh, thinking he's kidding until he shows me a website that sells pig blood. "Wanna go halfsies?"

"It's tempting," I mutter, opening a new message on Facebook. It's from Edward. I bite my lip hard, not wanting to alert anyone to the squee fest I have going on in my head.

_Got my schedule. PreCalc, Bio II, Gym, Lunch, Spanish, Lit, Study Hall. Will I see you today?_

Much to my delight and disappointment, I only have two classes with him. I'll take what I can get, so I quickly type a response. _Yes, I'll see you at lunch and study hall. Good luck, new kid._

His reply is instant._ My two favorite classes - I'll save you a seat._

"Hey!" Alec snaps his fingers in front of my face. "Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere," I say, waving to Rose and Victoria, who are standing with a salty-looking Alice. "Hey girls."

"Hi," Victoria says absently before turning back to Rose. "So where's Edward?"

"Carlisle dropped him off early to get his schedule."

"Oh, right." Victoria says, going for nonchalance and failing miserably. I'm surprised she's not sprinting to the office to walk him to his first class, hold his books, and give him an apple for the teacher.

We stand there and bullshit for a bit. Alec gives the scoop on which couples made it through the summer, who's in, who's out, who got boobs, and who got fat.

"Senior selfie time," Victoria says with a squeal. Apparently, she's intent on having the Vitamin C video montage senior year experience. We all bunch together, our cheeks touching and arms wrapped around each other tight. "Smile."

She takes three shots, and we all lean in to see how we look. It finally hits me that it's the beginning of the end. We're five friends here together for the last first time.

* * *

By the time lunch rolls around, I'm over senior year already. I'm mentally exhausted from my Lit class with Rose and Victoria. Apparently Victoria has Bio, P.E. and lunch with him. I swear I'll shoot myself in the face if I have to listen to her question Rose anymore. _What does he like to eat? Who's his favorite band? Boxers or briefs? What's his blood type?_ _Does he ever ask about me?_

"Ugh, the cafeteria," Rose groans as we enter the lunchroom.

My eyes are trained on our table. Victoria's there, hanging all over Edward, probably trying to cut his food and feed it to him. Alec's on the other side of him so I guess he forgot to save me a seat. This is going to be painful.

"Hi guys," Rose says, pulling out her chair.

I follow her lead with a curt wave and a tight smile to the group. I notice Alec rolling his eyes at Victoria who's making a giant ass out of herself. Now granted, I'm no expert in the field of flirting. Far from it as a matter of fact, but watching this shit is just excruciating and lucky me, I get a front row seat.

I can't decide which part I'm most put off by, the asinine questions or the ridiculous voice she's asking them in. He appears uncomfortable the handful of times our eyes meet, though he always gives me this subtle crooked smirk like he's asking me 'are you seeing this shit'. I have to look away every time or I'll laugh.

It stops being funny the moment James and Jasper walk up to chat with Alec.

I can't be bothered to listen to what they're talking about. I'm far too focused on the way she leans into him, against him. Her fingers skim the nape of his neck playing with his hair. I watch her whisper something to him, but her eyes are on James. This whole fucking spectacle is only for James.

The crazy bubbles up in me, threatening to spill as I loudly pack up my half-eaten lunch. Just as I go to make a pathetic excuse for my impending clumsy, awkward exit, his leg nudges mine. He pushes and bumps it until I look up at him and find him stretching. He's widening his arms; effectively giving Victoria the Heisman with that smart-ass smirk still firmly in place.

Grinning, I raise a brow in question when I feel him sliding against my calf again, this time more suggestively until he stops with his legs comfortably resting, entwined with mine. That smirk must be for me, and if it's not, then the small wink surely is.

When the bell rings, everyone gets up around us, distracted by their conversations and gathering their things. No one notices that Edward and I don't move. Our legs stay tangled for a few seconds more before he pushes back in his seat and stands to leave with Victoria hot on his heels.

I don't look up, not wanting to see her paw him, or worse, see him let her. It's not until I hear the familiar two knocks that I realize he's still there. He dips his chin and gives me a killer smile. "See you in study hall."

"Bye," I say shyly, feeling my cheeks flame. It's barely audible I'm sure, though on the inside I'm pirouetting and squealing, all while making future plans to doodle his name in my diary.

My internal excitement is short-lived with a look from Victoria. Her face is suspicious at first, surprised possibly that he acknowledged my presence. Then it morphs into what can only be described as relief, followed by a giddiness that rivals my own mere seconds ago. I realize that she sees me as an ally. In her mind, I'm her friend, an _in_, and now, as she mouths the words 'call me' once his back is turned, I'm also her informant.

* * *

The next two hours are pure torture. Not only are Bio and P.E. my two least favorite classes, they're also the only ones I share with Alice. Silver lining – Alice is still in 'queen me' mode so she's actually lovely to be around for a change. It's these small moments where I remember why we're friends in the first place.

Once the bell rings, I straight up power walk to study hall and pray that I don't smell like an armpit by the time I get there. I slow my roll as I walk in, not wanting to appear winded and/or desperate. He gives me a small wave from the back corner table. I notice Chelsea out of the corner of my eye, returning his wave like it was meant for her. There's a large part of me that wants to throw an elbow then start leaping over the tables like a goddamn 100 meter hurdler. Obviously that's not safe, sane, or even remotely rational, so instead I thank him for saving my seat – loudly as I cross the room.

"Hey," he says, smiling widely while he pulls my seat out for me.

"How's your first day going?"He nods and shrugs, which I take to mean that his day's going alright. "That good, huh?"

He laughs lightly. "Better now."

I don't know what to do with that, so I just grin and stare straight ahead. Coach Clapp takes attendance, nonchalantly adjusts his junk, and then informs us that these will be our assigned seats for the semester. _God bless that ball-cupping bastard._

Awkward silence falls over us, so I pull out my phone and scroll Facebook. Unfortunately I'm no longer his only friend here in Port Townsend, but I can still claim to be his first. I notice Victoria has tagged us in a post about making senior memories. Shaking my head, I show him the screen. When he leans into me to see what I'm reading, his chin touches the tip of my shoulder and I inhale him. He smells like soap and spearmint gum, and I'll bet his lips are soft as butter. He mutters something that sounds an awful lot like 'ridiculous'.

"No senior memories for you, new kid?"

"Nah, nothing like that." He picks up his pencil and taps it against his notebook. "That one's just kinda…" He trails off, winding his finger by his temple, effectively calling her crazy. "Don't get me wrong, she's _nice_." There's that word I love so much. "But I don't know, over the top or somethin'."

I nod, gumming my lips so I don't smile or laugh.

"I mean what was that?"

I stare at him blankly. "What was what?"

"The Khloe Kardashian baby voice and the crazy questions." I have to cover my mouth to stifle the giggle. "I'm serious, I thought she was gonna start callin' me Lamie and shit."

"Spraying you down with Unbreakable." He scoffs at me. "What? It's unisex?"

We sit like that for the next forty minutes, close talking and bullshitting about our day, the new agency his dad is opening, and the hot tub being installed this week. I notice James a few tables ahead of us, looking back every now and again. I wonder if he'll run and tell her, though I doubt he will, because then she'd know he cares. That's not his style.

The shrill ring of the bell jars us from our bubble, and reluctantly we stand to pack up. "So Rose says you've got a birthday coming up." It's not a question, but he says it so casually, it's like he wants confirmation.

"Uh yeah," I cleverly reply, probably blushing profusely at the idea that he and Rose have discussed me in any capacity. "Saturday we're doing our annual birthday weekend thing to celebrate with our moms." Students are flocking to the door around us, but he stands perfectly still, content to continue our conversation. "It's like tradition or something."

"What do you guys do?"

"Friday, I'll stay with Rose while our mom's go out to celebrate the anniversary of my delivery, and uh…" I stutter like an idiot, distracted by his long fingers drumming on the straps of his backpack. "Then the next day we go to Seattle for the night and just like, shop and stuff. Maybe check out a hair school or something, I don't know."

Bobbing his head in understanding, he looks amused. "So sleepover, huh?"

My lips curl into a coy smirk. "Sorry new kid. No boys allowed."

* * *

The rest of the week is a blur of classes, homework, and the typical high school bullshit, though I hardly notice. I'm far too absorbed in all things Edward, blissfully unaware of what's going on around me. Throughout the day it's stolen glances, secret smiles, and linked legs beneath the lunch table. At night, it's silly back and forth banter and black and white evidence of a budding friendship over private messenger.

When Friday morning rolls around, I look at my seventeen year-old self in the mirror. Tomorrow I'll be eighteen, and while I doubt I'll look any different, I feel like everything is about to change.

* * *

**A/N: Had a blast at TFMU! I met a ton of wonderful readers/writers and got to hang with some of my favorite people ever. I also had the opportunity to talk fic with lots of folks – got some new recs to check out. **

**Time to let it WIP:**

_**Love Like Crazy**_** by JiffyKate – From the lovely ladies who gave you a heaping helping of Southern Comfort comes the sequel to Crazy Good. A swoony deputy with strong swimmers and a hilarious Bella - y'all don't want to miss this fun little fic.**

_**The Marlboro Society**_** by JadoreJAC - *CarrieZM takes a pull of her cig and smokes out a few circles* Dolls – this story is my jam. It's a high school fic set in North Carolina. Bella is the new girl with a pack of smokes and a set of rules – but I'd break them for this Edward if I were her. J'adore it!**

**Thought we'd switch it up a bit and rec something I received from a few readers:**

_**Isabella **_**by suitablyironicmoniker - ****In the Cornish countryside of 1804 England, a foreign visitor brings Isabella to reconsider the inexplicable occurrences she had always taken for granted. **

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – Never kiss and tell  
__#nooneneedstoknow_

_I feel like everything is about to change._

Despite my protests, Rose and the gang go overboard on the birthday festivities, starting with a locker birthday bomb. The outside is wrapped like a present, while the inside is filled with balloons and streamers and what I'm sure is an entire bottle of glitter.

I loathe glitter. It's the herpes of the craft world. Even though you can't see it, it's always there, which is why Rose insists on using it in every card, note, or locker bomb she does. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

They all start screaming 'happy birthday' obnoxiously when I walk into the cafeteria. Alice is even there. She and Victoria are in their cheerleading uniforms for the football game at Vashon Island tonight. Rose is staying back with me, while Alec goes with them. Hence the pseudo birthday party at the lunch table.

Alec begins singing _Happy Birthday_ as Rose places a red velvet cupcake with a single lit candle in front of me. I look at each of the smiling faces around me, then I feel Edward's leg slide against mine. My eyes flicker to his when Rose yells for me to make a wish.

I know I shouldn't wish for him, but I do. And I know I should probably regret it, but I don't.

"This is from me, Alec, and Alice." Victoria's voice jolts me back to the reality of the situation, handing me a wrapped present. I immediately feel guilty when I open a scrapbook, each page thoughtfully put together chronicling years of friendship. It's full of bad hair, bad boys, and questionable outfits – probably one of the sweetest gifts I've ever received.

Although there are three names listed on the gift, this is all Victoria. I hug her so hard, thanking her profusely, feeling an odd mixture of gratitude and guilt. "I love it. Thank you."

The rest of the lunch hour is business as usual, with the exception of James and Jasper hanging around, eating the shit out of the cupcakes. I see James whisper something in Victoria's ear and she laughs. It's genuine and soft. Real.

Alice sees it as well, but instead of seeing it for what it is; she uses it as an opportunity. "Edward, you should come with us tonight." Victoria looks at her confused, unaware of the change in plans to which Alice responds with a raised brow.

"You should," Victoria agrees, finally catching on with a wary smile looking from Edward to James. "It'd be fun."

My eyes are watching the silent conversation going on between Victoria and James, when I hear Edward decline. Again, I feel equal parts grateful and guilty.

* * *

Study hall is a bit of a bust because some joker pulled the fire alarm. We end up standing around the parking lot for the majority of the hour, bullshitting with Alec and Rose. So far my birthday wish is a fail.

Dinner with my mom and dad is a quick affair. I suspect because Mom is anxious to get out on their first official double date with Esme and Carlisle. I don't think Carlisle quite knows what he's in for, while Charlie is old hat when it comes to their girls' night antics. I'm ninety percent sure that for them this evening will include booze, karaoke, and a retelling of my birth that will sound more like a Vietnam War flashback than the welcoming of their one and only child.

Esme and Carlisle seem eager for a night out as well when my parents drop me off at their house. They barely let me get out of the car before trying to get in. "Bye," I yell to my parent's taillights.

I hear a velvet voice crooning from the open garage door, and I notice the Jeep's hood is up. I'm certain that he's listening to Dorothy's Doo-Wop Drive-In on KSQM. I spend entirely too much time at Nifty Fifty's, because I can usually sing along with most of the songs.

"How goes it, Sweets?" Edward asks from beneath the hood, though he doesn't look up from fiddling with the engine.

"It goes," I say, watching him work. "I didn't peg you for a KSQM fan."

The side of his mouth turns up. "I don't mind it. Our old neighbor who watched me growing up played this kind of music all the time." He stands, wiping his fingers on a rag before smiling brightly and gesturing to the radio. "You like it?"

I nod as Sam Cooke sings to his darling how she sends him, and I make immediate plans to download this song to my iPod. "I do."

"So what's the plan for tonight?" he asks before turning his attention to his reference manual.

He looks so intense when he reads. Brows furrowed, he mouths the words, committing them to memory. He's the picture of concentration until he looks up expectantly. "Sweets?"

"Hmm?" _Oh, right – plans_. "Just your typical girls' night," I start, watching him go back to his studying. "Probably paint our nails, have some popcorn…" He's nodding absently and I doubt he's even listening. "Watch some porn."

His eyes snap to mine and he gives me that smirk that renders me speechless. _I guess he was listening._ "Porn, huh?" I nod. "This oughta be good," he mutters, crossing his arms over his chest. "What's it called?"

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" I play it coy, although Alice does host a pizza and porn night at her house once a month. Alec brings the most disgusting flicks. The evening is mostly spent with me cringing and the others boasting about all the lewd acts they've engaged in. Sometimes it makes me jealous, other times completely mortified, but I can never say that I'm not always utterly entertained.

"I would."

I try to remember the title of the last movie Alec brought. It's on the tip of my tongue. All I recall is that we never got to watch because he and Alice got into a fight when he said she looked like the star of it, which she did. It clicks in my head and I blurt, "Itty Bitty Gangbang."

Snorting, he shakes his head as I backpedal towards the door. "You're not right, birthday girl."

My cheeks are red from uttering the word 'gangbang' aloud. A smooth exit isn't possible at this point, so a quick one will have to do. "Have a good night, new kid."

* * *

One chick flick, two Instagram duckface selfies, a small cheese pizza, and a shit-ton of gossip later, Rose tells me she's going to take a quick shower. I find it odd since we're supposed to hit the hot tub, but I say nothing and just put on my swimsuit in hopes that she'll still go in with me. Alec's suspicions have me curious, even more so since she's been texting almost all night.

When she comes out an hour later, all hopes of hot-tubbing are dashed. Her hair is stick straight with her make-up applied to perfection. She's gnawing at her lip nervously. Rose doesn't get nervous, so this is big.

"All gussied up for little ol' me?" I ask, pulling my hair into a rubber band on top of my head.

She clears her throat. "I need a favor."

"Are we going to bury a body?"

Relaxing a bit, she smiles. "Not exactly, but I do need you to cover for me."

"Sure, but where are you going?"

"I can't…tell you."

"Okay," I drag out the word, "because that sounds super safe."

"Please, Bella," she begs, desperation evident in her voice. "I'll tell you everything when I get back, I promise."

I stare at her, trying to decode what's going on and mentally berating myself for not being a better friend. "Alright, but what do I say if your mom beats you home?"

"Tell her I walked up to the Safeway to get some Midol or something." I look at her like she's on crack. "I'll beat them home, just cover for me, alright?"

Her pleading eyes look like the Puss in Boots from _Shrek_, and I know she'd do anything for me. "Fine." I cross my arms across my chest. "But you'll tell me everything the minute you get back." Relieved, she nods. "And two," I say, holding up a couple fingers, "you need to turn the hot tub on for me."

"Done." She gives me a grateful smile before straightening her shirt. "How do I look?"

"Like a girl about to make some questionable decisions," I deadpan and her head snaps up. "Just kidding, you look fantastic."

The house is dark and quiet. There's no sign of Edward, and I wonder if he's still tinkering with his Jeep. I help her pull off the cover, and she hits a few buttons, showing me how to turn it on and off.

"Remember to put the cover back on when you're done."

"Have fun tonight," I tell her as she tosses me a towel, and I see a hint of a smile. "I can't wait to hear all about it."

With a whispered 'thanks' and a wave, I watch her leave. As I slip into the water, I wonder where she's going and who she's going to meet. I'm sure I could drive myself crazy with all the possibilities, so instead I just lean my head against the neck rest and close my eyes. I damn near fall asleep, lulled by the hum of jets, the whirling water, and the gentle rustle of the wind through the trees. That is until I hear his voice.

"All slumber partied out, birthday girl?"

"Nah, this was part of the plan all along." I watch him shut the screen door behind him. He is swagger personified. Board shorts, barefoot, towel slung over his shoulder – I have to look away.

"Hot tubbing alone was the plan?"

"Rose conked out on me."

He cracks a knowing smile as he lowers himself into the water beside me. "Oh yeah? Then she must be sleep walkin' because I just saw her get into a truck about five minutes ago."

"Entrapment." I huff, crossing my arms over my chest, alarmingly aware of the fact I'm sitting in close proximity to him in nothing more than a bathing suit.

Laughing, he skims his hands across the surface of the water and then runs it through his hair, wetting it. "This is true, but you're a terrible liar, Sweets."

"I really am." We're quiet for a few moments, each of us leaning back looking at the sky. "How did you like the first week of school?"

He shrugs. "It was alright. People were nice and welcoming." _Of course they were. Have you seen you?_ "It's just different from what I'm used to."

That's right; Rose mentioned the all-boys high school. Not that our school is a T and A show by any means, but I imagine that short-shorts and cheerleader uniforms are a stretch from a sea of khakis and dress shirts. "Well I'm glad it went well."

"Probably because I'm Rosalie's future step-brother or whatever." He raises a brow. "I'll bet she can be intimidating if she needs to be."

I tilt my head side to side as I consider this. "Rose could be intimidating if she wanted, but she's too tender-hearted to get mean. Now Alice, on the other hand…" I need to choose my next words carefully. "Well she's a straight up honey badger."

I fully expect him to laugh, not for him to nod in agreement like he's locked eyes with the devil herself. "What's the deal with that one anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean how are you friends with her?"

I laugh, because I ask myself that shit on the daily. "I don't know. We've known each other too long not to be, I guess." This is true, but not the entire truth. "Alice is just…Alice. She makes no apologies for who she is and has no qualms about staying true to herself." _That sounds like a compliment, right? _

When he snickers, I take it as a 'no'.

"I can't explain it. It's like her good qualities can be construed as bad ones too, depending on how you look at it. She has a sweet side and can actually be really caring."

"If you say so," he says chuckling, "I thought maybe you guys murdered someone together and were in some kind of weird blood oath pact or something."

"That probably would make more sense."

We chat about this and that and somehow end up talking about his hometown, or his city, as he calls it. He speaks about it with a reverence, like a lover or something. His accent becomes more pronounced as he starts talking about landmarks I've never seen or heard of. It's funny, every place he speaks about, he gives the neighborhood and a two street address, like the yellow pages or something. His smile is brilliant in the faint glow of the hot tub lights when he reminisces about open fire hydrants and block parties in the summer, tailgating with his old man in the fall and winter, and the South Side Irish Parade in the spring. There's so much history there for him and Carlisle, it makes me realize how much his dad must love Esme to leave it all behind.

There are things he doesn't miss though, like the traffic, the crime, the smell of swass on a packed bus, or sitting in bum piss on the train. We laugh when he tells me about the crazy shit he's seen on public transportation. He looks so happy talking about _his_ _city_ that I begin to wonder if he's miserable here in mine.

"So do you hate it here?"

He shakes his head slowly as his eyes flash to mine. "I like being _here_."

Maybe its wishful thinking, but something about the way he says 'here' sounds like he means _with me_. Warmth rushes through me and it's not due to the temperature setting on the hot tub. I have to look away, hopeful that the dim light doesn't allow him to see how the implication behind his words affects me. For the first time tonight, an awkward silence falls over us. Never one to miss an opportunity to embarrass myself, I blurt the first errant thought that comes to mind as I inspect my hands.

"Ugh, my fingers are pruny."

"Lemme see."

Grabbing my wrists, he pulls me to him and makes a show of looking at the wrinkled skin of my fingertips, lacing our fingers together. My heart hammers in my chest, watching his eyes move from my lips to meet my gaze, like he's silently seeking permission I'm more than willing to give.

His cold nose brushes mine when he tilts his head, and I feel him breathe against my skin. "Can I?"

"Yes."

Slowly, so slowly, he presses his lips to mine and my eyes close as they meet. Soft and warm, he lingers there for a moment before he goes in for another and another until our closed mouths part gently.

I feel his warm hand on my neck, pulling me closer as the tip of his tongue teases my lower lip. Slick and sweet, his tongue tastes like spearmint as it slides and winds tenderly around mine. His fingertips ghost down my spine, skimming softly over my rib cage until I feel his thumbs brushing over my hip bones.

Panting, I pull back to breathe while he trails slow, sweet pecks down my neck and over my bare shoulder. Steam rises off our skin and the water sloshes all around us. He claims my mouth again, kissing me deeply – consuming me. Our bodies press together, slippery skin against pebbled peaks and gooseflesh.

Hot heat courses through me everywhere, especially when I feel him harden below. Hips move of their own accord and he moans into my mouth as I gasp into his. Embarrassed, I pull away, resting my forehead on his shoulder, and I feel him chuckle against my neck. We stay like that for a while, holding each other tight.

"It's probably after midnight."

"I know," I say as I pull back. His fingertip lightly traces the line of my jaw, tilting my chin just slightly. "I should probably go inside."

"Yeah," he murmurs against my mouth. "Happy Birthday, Sweets."

* * *

I slink into Rosalie's bed with wet hair, a serene smile, and Edward's kiss on my lips.

The bed dips behind me and Rose nudges my shoulder. "Psst. You awake?"

I roll over and rub my eyes. "Yeah, I'm up." It's a lie, but she's staring at the ceiling, her expression unreadable, clearly needing to talk.

"I did it."

"Did what?"

"It."

"With who?"

She rolls over so we're face to face, her expression clear now. Apart from the hesitation in her eyes, she's beaming, vibrant and practically glowing. Drawing a deep breath, I hear a slight waver in her voice when she says a name I'd never expect to come out of her mouth. "Emmett McCarty."

I stare at her, trying to reconcile the idea of him and her and how they came to be. "Emmett McCarty?"

She nods, wary of my reaction. "When…how?" My voice squeaks in both amusement and disbelief, and I crack a smile. "Spill it. All of it - every detail."

Relief floods her features, and I see her entire body visibly relax. "Okay, remember when I got that flat tire on the way back from Port Ludlow?" I nod, trying to remember just how long ago that was. "Well, he's the one who changed my tire."

"That was a while ago, wasn't it?"

"Yeah." I hear a tinge of guilt. "Like six weeks ago or something."

"Six weeks?" I cover my mouth, realizing how loud I am, so I recover with a whisper this time. "You've kept this a secret for six weeks?"

I'm one to talk. I should be ashamed of myself, calling her out on keeping a secret. She props her head on her hand. "It didn't get romantic right away. We were friends and it just…grew." I raise an eyebrow, needing for her to elaborate. "Plus, I was with Royce and I didn't know how to get out of that…"

"Without your mom flipping, I get that. You waited till he went off to college."

"Exactly."

She starts from the beginning, telling me about how a flat tire turned into her bringing her car over for him to take a look at her brakes a few days later and then her engine sounding funny a couple days after that. She's giddy, happier than I've seen her in ages when she talks about how sweet and thoughtful and loving he is. It's rare to see Rose gush, and Lord knows she never gushed over Royce. This one's different. She says he sees her, gets her, and knows her better than anyone aside from me.

It's hard to see him through her eyes. When I think of Emmett McCarty, I see ink and steel and imagine that a 'go fuck yourself' is always on the tip of his tongue. So when she presents him as this quiet, kind, jolly giant, I defer to Sesame Street because one of these things is not like the other.

"And tonight was just…" Trailing off she looks at the ceiling again, and I see her lips curl into a smile, brightened by the moonlit window. "The best." She twists her lips to the side and looks at me sadly. "I wish he was my first."

"Well, by no means am I a penetration expert given that my girl parts haven't seen any action other than a few wax strips, Tanya's tweezers, and an inch of Paul's dick." She buries her face into the pillow, giggling. "But I hear that if the guy is under like five inches long, you're technically still a virgin."

"You're crazy." She snorts. "Wait, I thought Paul fingered you first."

"Wrong. Paul cupped me down there over my panties." I roll my eyes, remembering the most embarrassing evening of my life. "Like he was checking for a pair of balls or something."

"But what about before he…you know." She can't even say it without laughing.

"Before he pushed the tip of his dick in and blew his load?"

"Yeah, that."

"No, there was no fingering of any kind." I shake off the memory as she cackles into her hand. "He might as well have told me to 'bite the pillow, I'm coming in dry'."

We lay there laughing for a long while, reminiscing about that cringe-worthy few months I spent with Paul. It's funny now, but making out with him was like getting frenched by a German Shepherd. All tongue and panting, just gross. Rose is the only one who knows about my attempted deflowering. I can't even imagine telling the others. The risk of total humiliation is just far too high.

"I remember this one time he…"

"Hey Bella," she interrupts, her face suddenly serious. "Thanks for being on my side."

"I'm always on _your_ side."

"I'm sorry I kept a secret from you. I just wanted to keep this to myself for a little while."

Her eyes plead for understanding, and I'm certain that no one understands better than me. "Were you worried I'd try to talk you out of it?"

"A little bit," she says, picking at invisible pills on her sheets. "Alice and them, they can't know. At least not right now. I just can't with that right now."

Truer words. "I get it."

She falls asleep quickly, her conscious clear and her heart full while I lie awake with a stomach full of butterflies, kiss-tender lips, and a nagging secret. Rose's words come back to me, instantly quieting my racing mind. _I just want to keep this to myself for a while._

* * *

**A/N: Finally, huh?**

**So this week, we wanted to try something a little different. Our version of Throwback Thursday. **

***Carrie ZM puts a ghettoblaster on her shoulder and Lay rocks a Kangol* It's time for LayZM Old School Recs on the New School Tip. The theme for this week is high school and these two fics from back in the day STILL give us that high school high. **

_**The Tutor**_** by ItzMegan73 – ****New student Bella Swan needs to break out of her shy exterior and her guidance counselor has the answer: ****tutoring****. And Bella is too new to know she shouldn't want to ****tutor**** Edward Cullen.**

_**The Learning Curve**_** by Amethyst Jackson -****When Bella's boyfriend brings up the issue of her virginity with his ex, she decides to take charge of her own fate. Now complete with occasional snippets to come. AU and AH. **

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – If there's nothing wrong with what  
__you're doing, there's no need to sneak around  
__#slimshady_

_I just want to keep this to myself for a while._

"How was Seattle, girls?" Victoria asks Rose and me, pulling her miniscule salad from her lunch bag.

"We had a blast, didn't we, Bella?" Rose answers for us, elbowing me to which I nod emphatically. Truthfully, I barely recall a detail about our weekend other than the feel of Edward's mouth on mine. My lips curl into a small smile while my leg rests lazily against his. "What did you girls do while we were gone?"

"Alice and I went shopping for homecoming dresses." I don't miss the way she eyes Edward at the mention of homecoming. "I found one I really like, but I have to lose about ten pounds before I can even think about wearing it."

I can barely contain my eye roll, watching her stab at her salad and informing us that she's on a strict no-carb diet. Fact – there is nothing more annoying than a skinny girl bitching about being on a diet. No one feels sorry for you if you have a thigh gap, it's that simple. You want to lose a few, go ahead, but shut up about it.

Alec snorts, and I see him out of the corner of my eye shaking his head. "How about you find a date first?"

Unaffected by the jab, Victoria sucks the dressing off a baby carrot and smiles at Edward. "I'm working on it."

The thought of her in a barely-there dress pressed against him is enough to make me want to puke in my mouth. Everyone knows teenagers don't actually dance at dances, we dry hump. Agitated, I manhandle my yogurt, tearing the foil top off like a savage.

"Actually, I thought it might be fun for all of us to go stag this year." Rose's cheery voice and interesting proposition jars me from mutilating my yogurt cup. "Wouldn't that be fun?"

She looks from me to Alec to Edward and finally Victoria, who's staring at her like she's lost her goddamn mind.

"Shit, I'm in," Alec says, sounding far too relieved not to have to take me to homecoming for the fourth year in a row.

I shoot him a _what the fuck_ glare before agreeing. "Me too."

"Yay!" Rose squeals in her seat. "What about you, Edward?"

"Sure, why not?" Shrugging his shoulders, he brings his water bottle to his lips.

Rose is full-on bouncy clapping now. Lord knows how she loves when a plan comes together. "What about you, Victoria?"

Victoria's face falls at Rose's question. I try not to laugh because this must be a real kick to the dick for her. I'm sure she had Edward's outfit picked, his boutonniere ordered and reservations for a romantic dinner for two already booked. "Uh, yeah. I guess that'd be fun."

She looks sad, and I can't have that, so I do what any good friend would do to a dieting friend by offering her Renee's latest Pinterest attempt. "Cookie?"

* * *

I barely make it to study hall before the bell rings, and much to my disappointment, Edward has homework scattered across our table.

"Hey, Sweets."

"Hey." I slump into my seat. "Big test or something?"

He shakes his head, still not taking his eyes off his book. "I'm working this week, remember? Helping my dad after school," he says, flicking the page. "I've gotta get this shit done."

"Oh," I say, unable to hide my disappointment, though he did mention in our instant messages that the next few weeks would be busy for him. "Yeah, I remember."

We spend the rest of the hour in silence, him focusing on his education and me fixating on where we stand. Did the kiss mean anything or was it just a 'you're in a swimsuit and it's your birthday' kiss? I tap my pen against my notebook in time with my nervously bouncing leg beneath the table. My mind races as the crazy takes over in my head when I feel his hand still my knee.

"You alright?" His smile is warm, but his eyes are wary.

I nod, not wanting to chance spewing my insecurity all over him. "I'm fine."

His brow hitches. "Fine as in good or fine as in I want to murder you?"

"Fine as in peachy keen," I say with a laugh, "though I'm curious about your levels of fine."

"My dad says when women say they're _fine_ that they probably aren't." He looks to me to deny it, which he knows I can't.

"There's a little truth to that I'm sure."

"There is." I feel his thumb brush over my knee and give it a little squeeze as he leans into me. "So we good, Sweets?"

Dazzled by the spearmint and his smile, I tilt my head until our foreheads are nearly touching and give him a coy grin. "We're _fine_."

"Good, now lemme see your phone."

I grab it and clutch it to my chest before he can get a hand on it. "Why?"

The moment the word leaves my mouth I feel like an idiot. He chuckles a bit and rubs his thumb over his jaw a few times. "You not interested in talkin' to me, Sweets?"

"No." I blurt before realizing what I just said. "I mean, yes." This is going downhill fast so I pull myself together with a quick shake of the head and place the phone in his outstretched hand. "I mean, here..."

He's quick about it, punching in the numbers and handing it back to me. His fingers graze mine in the exchange, lingering a bit. When the bell rings overhead, he gathers his things and stands to leave, but not before knocking twice on the desk. "You'll hear from me soon."

* * *

For the rest of the week I pour myself into schoolwork and pep club projects, doing anything to keep my mind off my limited interaction with Edward. Since giving him my number, our Facebook personal messages have ceased altogether. I get a few texts in the evenings on his dinner break, and he always sends a goodnight one before he goes to bed.

When my phone starts vibrating across the table at the library on Thursday night, I'm more than a little surprised to see his name pop up on my screen. I grab my phone and practically sprint to the stacks, answering him with a frantic whispered hello.

"Sweets?"

"Yeah, I'm here." I run my finger down the spine of the nearest book, grinning like a giddy girl with a crush, but hiding out in the large print section like a guilty girl with a secret. I can tell he's in his car, radio on, windows open.

"Why are you whisperin'? Can you talk?"

"No. I'm at the library."

"Oh yeah. The lit assignment, right?"

"Right."

"Well I'm thinking about grabbing a shake, you wanna come with me?"

The girl with the crush wants to scream 'YES' _When Harry Met Sally_ style, however the girl with the secret side-eyes me and counts the number of people here who may find it interesting that Victoria's love interest is picking me up. Namely one Alec P. Martin.

"I can't." My voice sounds as bummed as I feel. "I'm not done yet, otherwise I would."

"That's alright." There's a long pause, and all I hear in the background is Lorde bitching how she'll never be royal. "I'll bring one to you. I'll see you in a bit."

And then he's gone.

"Who was that?" Alec asks when I mosey back to the table.

"My mom," I lie, frantically gathering up all of the Zora Neale Hurston books our town library has to offer. "I've gotta go." He stands, grabbing for his keys and I remember he's my ride. I wave him off and practically shout another spectacular fib. "She's picking me up."

"Okay." He stretches the word until it sounds both snarky and suspicious. "She doesn't have to. I can drive you home if you need me to."

Desperate times call for desperate measures. There are two things Alec absolutely cannot handle under any circumstances. One is visible ear wax and two is any and all talk of periods, including—but not limited to— cramps, period gas, period poops, and the mere mention of a heavy flow day. It's his kryptonite and while it's a low blow, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

I screw my eyes closed and blurt out his worst nightmare. "I don't want to leak on your seat."

His shoulders lurch and he puffs out his cheeks like he's going to vomit, waving his hands and shooing me away. "Ugh. Go. Get."

"See ya."

* * *

The moment I see the Jeep's headlights, I scurry out of my precarious hiding place in the library landscaping, flagging him down by nearly jumping in front of his car. His tires screech on the pavement. The look on his face is somewhere between 'what the fuck' and 'did I just shit my pants'. In hindsight, leaping in front of a moving vehicle is probably not the best idea considering the goal is to be inconspicuous.

"Sorry about that." I say, climbing into the passenger seat. "I didn't know if you saw me."

He chuckles. "I didn't until I almost ran you over."

Embarrassed, I grab the large cup between us. "This for me?"

"Yeah, uh…" He does a half-shrug and his voice is unsure. "I got strawberry, is that alright?"

"I love strawberry," I breathe before taking a small sip. His eyes are on my lips, watching them wrap around the straw. "You want to get out of here?"

"Sure. Where to?"

* * *

Ten minutes later we pull into the deserted parking lot at North Beach. He grabs a blanket from the back and we set out to the rocky shores, looking for a dry spot to sit.

"So how's the agency coming?"

"Good, he interviewed a couple of people today that had potential."

"Do you remember who they were?"

"Uh, yeah, one was some dude named Randall, and the other was…" He scrunches his face, trying to remember the other name. "Mary maybe? I don't know."

"Did she have big hair and lots of make up?" He nods. "Smelled like stale cigs?"

"Yep." We stop and he motions to the ground. "Here okay?"

"Sure." I help him lay out the plaid blanket before circling back to Mary. "He shouldn't hire her."

"Why not? She's got a lot of insurance experience."

I don't know how to explain that the only experience she has a lot of is on her back, so I go with another truth. "Esme _hates_ her." I sip my shake sweetly, waiting for the subtle warning to Carlisle to register with Edward.

He snorts. "Well that's definitely a complication my dad doesn't want." Lifting his milkshake, he toasts me. "Thanks for the heads-up."

We sit and watch the waves crash against the shore, talking about everything and nothing. I'm pleasantly surprised to find out that he intends to follow Carlisle into the insurance business.

Normally when I hear insurance sales I think of smarmy, balding men with coffee breath. Granted, that may be because my parent's current insurance agent fits that bill, but buying insurance from Carlisle or Edward seems far more enticing.

"What about you? Are you going to take over your ma's salon?"

I nod. "Yep, me and Rose."

"Is that what you want?"

I take a sip and contemplate his question because I've honestly never thought about it. It's the plan, always has been. I don't know if I ever had a choice, it just is. "I think so."

"You think so, huh?"

"Meh," I say with a shrug, "I'm pretty sure I'm going that route." The fact that I'm uncertain on something I was always so sure of unnerves me. I stir the straw in my shake, scraping whatever I can off the sides. "What kind of shake did you get?"

"Vanilla," the corner of his mouth turns up, "but I wish I got strawberry."

"Here," I offer him my cup, "want a taste?"

"Yeah," he whispers, leaning in and forgoing the milkshake altogether. I suck in a breath when he cups my jaw and runs the pad of his thumb across my lower lip. "Just a taste."

His mouth brushes mine tenderly at first, before taunting and teasing me with sweet pecks from chilly lips and his warm vanilla flavored tongue. Hesitation gives way to heat when he buries his hand in my hair, kissing me deeply…wildly.

Lost in our kissing, we ignore the fine mist that somewhere along the way turned into fat raindrops until we can't any longer. Hand-in-hand we race to the car with teeth chattering smiles and a flush of warmth on our cheeks, despite the cool sea breeze whipping in our faces.

When we reach the car, he opens the door for me like a gentleman. Rain-soaked, he climbs into the driver's side, slamming the door behind him. His hair is matted to his head, droplets dripping down his face as he starts the car. "Heat?" I nod, shivering slightly watching him adjust the temperature and hold his hand in front of the vent. "It'll warm up in a minute."

We're quiet and awkward for a moment, staring out the rain-covered windshield, and listening to the gentle voice of the DJ for Dorothy's Doo Wop Drive-in. _Fall is here a full calendar day early, listeners. Let's go back to 1958 for One Summer Night with the Danleers._

His eyes flicker to mine.

I blink.

And it's on.

I lunge across the console, threading my fingers into his hair and roughly pressing my lips to his. Frenzied and eager, our mouths move together until we're both panting and breathless. His hands wrap around my waist, pulling me to him over the console to rest uncomfortably on his lap.

The steering wheel is cutting into my lower back and my pant leg is caught on the gear shift, but I couldn't be happier because Edward's mouth is nipping just beneath my jaw.

"Wait a second," he murmurs against my skin.

"Hmm?"

"Hold on." He leans forward slightly, reaching for something on the side of the seat and pressing me further into the steering wheel.

"Ow. What are you doing?"

I hear the hum of his seat back reclining, his eyes never leaving mine as our bodies are lowered. "Is this okay?"

"Yes," I breathe, my lips barely touching his.

I close my eyes, reveling in the feel of his hands trailing down my spine just as a smooth falsetto voice croons above a trio of baritones about falling in love under the moon. He sucks my lower lip and moans into my mouth. We're a mess of tongues and teeth and bumping noses.

Out of breath, I pull back and his mouth moves lower, latching onto the tender flesh at the base of my throat. I guide his hand to my chest, begging him to touch me, unable to speak a word. He caresses me gently, moving his thumb over my nipple, while his lips hover near the valley of my breasts. My hips roll over his and I feel him exhale roughly against my shirt.

"Christ, Sweets," he grunts just as his other hand grips my backside to control my movements.

The raindrops are coming faster, pelting harder against the soft top. My eyes flutter open for a split second, taking in the drizzle-covered foggy plastic windows. He's everywhere, and I feel _everything_.

I lose myself in all the sensations of the wet and the warmth and the want…in him. We stay lost in each other for three more songs until a set of flashing headlights snaps us back to reality.

He holds my hand when he drives me home. We part ways in the car with a whispered goodnight and a gentle forehead kiss. Hours later, I'm sprawled out on my bed, listening to the song _One Summer Night_ for the hundredth time, contemplating making it my ringtone for him. Sappy? Absolutely, but at least it's not Nickelback.

* * *

The following evening, Alec, Rose, Edward and I are huddled together on the bleachers under the Friday night lights, cheering on our fledgling football team. The now dry blanket from the beach is draped over our laps. Alice waves at us looking practically perfect in her cheer gear, while Victoria casts spirit fingers and flirty winks in Edward's direction. To them we appear to be two pals, trying to stay warm. Beneath the blanket though, two joined hands are generating a spark that could set fire to this entire fucking town.

* * *

**A/N: *Carrie ZM does the cabbage patch while singing Nelly's **_**Hot In Herre**_*****

**So Carrie and I are posting this together from my Bunco party tonight and listening to Tag Team's _Whoomp There It Is. _Don't judge us.**

**Without further ado, lettuce let it WIP…**

_**Darnay Rd**_** by Counselor - *Lay clasps hands together getting ready to say some profound shit* I have a legitimate hard-on for all things Counselor. This fic is no exception. I know most of the fandom is already reading this – but if you're not, you should be. It's got all the feels and the best kind of butterflies. Counselor's Edwards always do it for me…but Easy does it better.**

_**I Belong to You**_** by Twilightladies - *Carrie ZM passes around the Sensodyne because this Edward will give you a toothache with his sweetness* Starting over is never easy, but Swoonward is just what the doctor ordered to cure a broken heart. Slow burn and great chemistry. Don't miss this one, pals!**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – If you have to sneak to do it, lie to cover it up, or delete it to  
__avoid being seen- then you probably shouldn't be doing it.  
__#feelsgoodtobebad_

_Two joined hands are generating a spark that could set fire to this entire fucking town._

"I don't know girls, what do you think?"

I glance up from my phone to see Victoria preening in a tight black dress with strategic cutouts that accentuate her curves.

"I like that one," Rose says excitedly poking her head out of her dressing room.

Victoria looks herself up and down in the three-way mirror. "Bella?"

I give her a great big smile and nod approvingly at her reflection. She doesn't give two shits about my opinion anyway, so I turn my attention back to the most recent text from Edward. Texting with Edward is the only thing that makes spending a Sunday afternoon in a dressing room with two divas bearable.

_Working this week, but maybe we can go out to eat next Saturday night._

This is the second time he's mentioned getting together in a more official capacity. It's getting harder and harder to come up with plausible ways to put him off.

"Zip me up, will ya?" Rose lifts her hair, coming out of her dressing room in a stunning, silver gown.

"Oh. My. God! You look UH-MAZ-ING!" Victoria enunciates every syllable at the top of her lungs, and I suspect this is the reaction she was looking for from me.

Rose smiles and starts checking herself out in the mirror. With both of them distracted, I stealthily look down to text Edward.

_Sorry – dieting for homecoming._

His reply is instant, and I have to cover my mouth to keep from laughing.

_You need your head examined. So no more milkshakes?_

"Ugh, I can't decide which one." Victoria whines like she's a foot stomp away from a tantrum. "This one or the sheer one?"

"Well I like them both," Rose says with a hand on her hip while she thoughtfully taps her chin, clearly taking this shit more seriously than I am.

Tuning them out, I go back to my conversation with Edward. Things are starting to get tricky now that this is no longer just a flirtation or a figment of my imagination. Friends don't look at each other the way he looks at me. And friends don't make me feel the way he does. We're something more.

Not quite a couple, but definitely a complication.

Just as I finish typing the words '_milkshake moratorium until further notice_', I hear Rose calling my name.

"Hmm?" I hope my expression doesn't look as guilty as I feel. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was asking which one you like better." Rose tilts her head a bit, eyes narrowing just enough for me to know she's suspicious and motions to my phone. "Who are you texting?"

"My mom." I look down and quickly type that 'I can't talk because I'm dress shopping' and hit send. "Okay so it's between this one and…"

"The sheer one," Victoria answers, running her hand across the cutout just above her chest. "I can't decide which one Edward would like better." My blood boils beneath my skin and I can feel my mean girl come to the surface. "I think this one leaves less to the imagination, but maybe he needs some encouragement." She's oblivious to my piercing glare as she pushes up her cleavage and inspects her chest from all angles. "I don't know," she turns to me, "what do you think?"

Working hard to contort my features back to my normal resting bitch face, I think hard about what I want to say. "Well, I think they're both _cute_, but…" I trail off, letting her insecurity do the dirty work for me.

"But what?"

Truth is I don't want her to wear either dress. More specifically, I don't want her wearing either dress and grinding her ass on Edward's junk. I can't say 'they're both too sexy' because that's what she's going for. "Well to be honest, they both kind of… wash you out."

"Oh." She sounds disappointed and starts inspecting her skin up close in the mirror, checking to see if I'm right about the pallor. "Well I guess I could go tanning."

"Yeah, that'll work." I give her a big thumbs up. Here's the thing about Victoria. She's a redhead and doesn't _tan_ per se. Does she get darker? Yes, but instead of bronze, she turns varying shades of pink depending on how often she goes. I suspect she'll go enough times to get extra pink, and she'll end up looking like a piece of bologna with eyes. "You'll look UH-MAZ-ING!"

* * *

Tuesday night, Rose and I do our evening recap of the day over FaceTime. We cover who said what, who's doing who, then we launch feet first into all things Emmett.

"So what's Em going to do while you're at homecoming?" I blow on my nails and watch her inspect her skin in the camera before scowling.

"I swear to God, I have the ugliest FaceTime face." She presses her chin into her neck. "I look like Mama June."

"Shut up." I roll my eyes at her. Even with a Biore pore strip across her nose and her fresh out of a pony tail mullet, she's still the prettiest person I know.

"Truth Ruth." She runs a finger over her White Strip covered teeth. "Wait, what did you ask me?"

"Emmett. What's he doing while you're being crowned Homecoming Queen, Mama June?"

"I don't know, he and Felix were talking about getting some work done on their sleeves."

"You met his friends?"

She bites her lip and nods. "Yeah, they're nice."

"When do we get to meet him?" Her brow arches incredulously as if to ask 'you're kidding, right?'. "Fine, when do _I_ get to meet him?"

"Soon."

"What about your mom?"

"Like, never." I give her a pointed look. "Why would I?"

"Well you aren't planning on sneaking around forever are you?" _Hello pot, this is the kettle…_

The screen pans to her ceiling as she sets her phone on the dresser. "I don't know." I hear her huff in annoyance and the distinct sound of her dresser drawers being opened. When she reappears on the screen she has a well-worn, oversize DC Shoes t-shirt that I happen to know she stole from him. She lies down, propping her head on her hand and opens her mouth to speak when Edward's name flashes on the screen.

"Rose, I gotta go," I blurt louder than intended.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I've got another call."

"Who's calling at ten o'clock on a…"

"Talk to you tomorrow. Bye." I cut her off and remove my own White Strip so I don't sound like I have a lisp. "Hello."

"Hey."

"Hi." I slap my hand on my forehead at the sound of my breathy greeting.

"Busy?"

"No, just talking to Rose. What are you up to?"

He hums and I hear his TV in the background. "Nothin'," he clears his throat, "I didn't get a chance to talk to you or text you earlier today so I thought I'd call."

I lean back on my pillow. "Aww...are you missing me, new kid?"

He chuckles in my ear, low and deep, but it's in his words that I hear the unmistakable sound of longing. "I think I am, Sweets."

* * *

Friday at lunch I'm barely able to keep up with the conversation due to sheer exhaustion from last night's two hour phone call. I stifle a yawn and notice that Edward doesn't seem to have the same issue, appearing bright-eyed and engaged in the discussion around us despite having stayed up the past few nights on the phone with me. Perhaps that's because he actually goes to sleep after he says 'goodnight'. I don't. I lay there and analyze each and every word, reveling in every new fact, then shut off the light and push away the guilt of not coming clean to Victoria.

And speaking of Victoria, she graces us with her painfully pink presence, carefully sitting in her seat.

"What. The. Fuck?" Alec waves his finger around in her direction in time with his words. "What happened?"

"Ugh, I thought I'd try a new tanning bed."

Rose gives her a pouting, pity look, while Alec laughs. "Oh girl… You are a mess, you know that right?" She flips him off. "You need to embrace your paste, Boo."

"Are you okay?" My head snaps to Edward, who's looking at her worried as she melts into his side.

A small part of me swoons because he's a decent human being, while the majority of me seethes. _Why doesn't he just ask her to hop on his lap so he can apply aloe all over her sun-kissed skin?_

She pushes his shoulder, "Oh stop, I'm totally fine, silly boy." I don't miss how she lets her fingers linger then slide down his bicep.

I feel the crazy bubble up inside me. I know, in reality, he's just asking about her general well-being. The part that has me utterly irrational is that she's taking this to mean he's into her. Deep inside that crazy, freckled head of hers, she's got a list of evidence supporting her delusion that they are meant to be. In her mind, this is just the confirmation and encouragement she needs to continue her relentless pursuit.

I feel myself nodding at my theory with narrowed eyes and a scowl, watching her turn up the dramatics. She's one wince away from getting a smack. I can't with this shit. "I've gotta go. See you guys."

Annoyed, I gather my shit quietly. My dad says I'm just like my mother in this respect. When she's slamming things around and getting visibly worked up, he knows he's in trouble. However when she's angry, but calm and silent, he knows that there's a good possibility she's plotting his death.

"Well bye." I hear Rose yell at my back from the table. She's probably the only one who noticed I left.

The bell rings overhead and people filter out of classrooms which makes my dramatic stomp off difficult to continue. I manage to make it to my locker just before I hear him over the crowded halls and slamming of lockers all around me.

"Hey," I say warily, afraid my psychotic is still showing.

He leans in. "Look what I got."

My eyes go wide when he pulls out a pad of hall passes from his backpack. "Where did you get those?"

"I was in the guidance counselor's office." He shrugs like it's no big deal. "I pulled a few off a pad I saw under his desk."

"A few?"

He raises the corner of his mouth, smirking at me. "Okay, more than a few." He dips his head until its level with mine, tempting me like the devil himself. "You want to cut class with me this afternoon?"

I glance around the hallway, making sure no one sees him propositioning me. "I don't know. I mean I do, but…"

"You've never cut class before?"

"Nope. Cop's kid, remember?"

He grabs a pen from his bag and pulls the cap off with his teeth before scribbling the word library and a fairly accurate interpretation of Dr. Banner's signature at the bottom. Cool as a cucumber he tears it off and slips it into a side pocket of my backpack. "You've gotta live a little, Sweets."

He knocks twice on the locker next to mine and walks away.

* * *

Two hours later, I make my truancy debut, handing the forged pass to Coach Clapp. He doesn't even look up from his newspaper. My nerves kick in when we hit the empty hallways, walking quickly side-by-side. Once we hit the parking lot, I seriously consider commando crawling between cars, certain that someone will see me. Not so much that they'll see me skipping… it's that they'll see me skipping with Edward.

He's completely unfazed, twirling his keys around his finger and opening the passenger door for me.

"So, where to?"

"Where do you want to go?"

He taps his fingers on the steering wheel. "We could go grab a bite to eat." I shake my head. "Movie?"

"Too public, we're skipping remember."

"How 'bout the beach?"

I shake my head knowing my dad's deputies wouldn't hesitate to drag my ass down to the station. "Is anyone home at your house?"

"Nah," he says turning the key in the ignition, "I mean, yeah, no one's home. We can go there if you want."

_Oh yes. I want to go there._

I spend the majority of the ride to Edward's house hunched over, convinced that I'm going to be spotted by someone we know. I hear him chuckle when I duck my head down at every stop sign, waiting for my father's cruiser to pull up next to us any second.

He grabs my hand in his over the console and brings it to his lips. "You need to relax, Sweets."

I breathe a little easier when we hit the friendly confines of his empty garage, but less so when we sit in Carlisle and Esme's living room, watching TV and sipping water. Totally unaffected, he flips through channels, just staring without a care in the world at the freaks on the Maury Povich show. Meanwhile, I'm over here trying to remember if Rose has a Student Council meeting and wondering if our absence will rouse suspicion. Or worse, what if Carlisle or Esme come home? Esme will have my parents on the phone so fast, first to rat me out, then to plan our wedding.

He stills my bouncing knee. "You don't wanna watch TV?" I shake my head and he turns it off. "Well what do you want to do?"

Sadly, everything I think of involves defiling Esme's couch. "Can I see your room?"

With a nod, he takes my hand in his and leads me up the stairs.

His room is not what I expected. The gray walls aren't lined with images of chicks draped over Lamborghinis or mafia movie posters like every other guy I know. Other than a tasteful picture of the Chicago skyline and one of Soldier Field, his room is pretty bare. I drop my backpack and walk over to his desk where there's a bulletin board with a few pictures tacked to it.

I hear the door latch click and his footsteps on the hardwood behind me as I look at a photograph of a younger Carlisle sitting on the grass with a beautiful woman. Edward is all Carlisle, apart from the hair and the green eyes he shares with his mother.

"She's beautiful." I run my finger across the bottom of her photo, then point to another one of a young Edward and Carlisle next to a short brunette and another little boy about his age. They're both wearing little league outfits. "Who are they?"

He wraps his arms around my waist from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder. "That's Liam and his mom, Maggie." I feel him press a small kiss to my throat. "They were our next door neighbors back home." Another to my jaw. "He's my best friend."

"Is this him here?" I point to a group picture of Edward and his friends in tuxes.

"Yeah, with our other buddy Diego."

They're surrounded by a few girls in gowns. I'm itching to ask about the pretty blonde tucked under Liam's arm, even though she's desperately clinging to Edward, but I don't. I can't think straight with him this close, nuzzling my neck. I feel the combination of warm breath and soft lips on my skin.

It's too much, but not enough.

I palm his cheek, encouraging the searing open mouth kisses beneath my jaw and the strong hands inching up my rib cage.

"Is the door locked?" I whisper, turning to face him, tracing a finger down his stomach.

His gaze moves from my eyes to my mouth. "Yeah."

"Good."

Dipping his head, he cups my face in his hands, pressing his lips roughly to mine. There's nothing gentle about our kissing today. They're rushed and clumsy and desperate – absolutely perfect. He grips my hips tight as my hands wander. I tug gently on his hair before trailing down his bicep and lightly running my fingertip over the sliver of skin showing beneath the hem of his shirt.

I hear him hiss, and then feel his hands lower, clutching and hoisting me up until my face is level with his. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I whimper into his mouth, feeling him harden against me. The floorboards creak beneath his feet as he walks us backwards, stopping only when the back of his knees hit the bed.

He breaks the kiss with a gentle peck at the corner of my mouth and slowly sets me back on my feet. His eyes are locked to mine when he lowers himself onto the edge of the bed. I watch as his tongue runs across his top lip, and his gaze slips down to my chest while his thumb traces the seam near the hem of my shirt. The look in his eyes sends a shiver up my spine. There's something in his expression that makes me feel bold and desirable. I recognize it because it mirrors my own.

Want.

I pull my shirt over my head and let it drop to the floor. I briefly consider covering myself, but I don't. I think he wants to see me. And I want to be seen.

His shirt follows next and I slip into his bed. Apart from pants and my bra, we're skin to skin. Our lips move against each other slowly and I savor the sweet taste of his tongue sliding with mine. His finger skims over my jaw then down until I feel it hook under my bra strap and drag it over my shoulder. He sucks and nips at my neck, while his fingertip continues to trace the outline of my bra.

I don't trust my voice not to shake, so I encourage him by thrusting my chest into his touch. He's all palms and featherlight fingertips as he moves over my skin. I close my eyes, reveling in the feel of his hands on me then gasping when he takes my lace-covered nipple into his mouth.

My eyes pop open when he pulls his mouth away, watching him gently brush the front clasp of my bra with his thumb. Low and deep, he murmurs against the swell of my cleavage. "Can I see you?"

I panic at his plea, worried that we'll be caught. "Did you lock the door?" He nods. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." He pulls the sheet over his head, shielding us both from the threat of exposure. "It's just _us_."

The sunlight filters through the white fabric and his arm casts a shadow over my stomach as he hovers above me. My heart races when I trace my fingers down the valley of my breasts, seizing the clasp, and consenting with a whispered 'okay'.

Drawing a deep breath, I pull the lace cups from my body. I notice his throat bob as he stares at me. It's like he's memorizing me. Committing this moment to memory.

"Jesus," he mumbles and presses my breasts together in his hands.

My thoughts run wild and the crazy creeps in under the heat of his gaze. _Now that I'm not strapped into a push-up bra, are my tits in my armpits? What about my nipples? Dear God, please don't let them look like buttons with braille._

The crazy ceases the moment the tip of his tongue touches my chest. He flicks and teases my nipple, first one then the other before greedily sucking it into his mouth. His movements are maddening, the perfect combination of too hard and too soft and just enough that I need more.

More of everything. More touching, licking, tasting, and pinching. I need friction. I want to feel the weight of him all over me and the length of him against me.

My hands move up and down his back, fingertips ghosting down his spine then dipping below the waist of his track pants. He blows out a breath into the crook of my neck when I hook my fingers into the elastic and slide them down until only a few thin layers separate us.

Hitching my legs around him, he presses into me roughly, grunting into my hair. I whimper into his neck, unable to handle the feel of the friction and heat we're generating with each roll of our hips. Overwhelmed, I clutch at his back and bite down on his shoulder, holding him tightly as he bucks and rocks against me. Eyes closed, I take in the sounds around me. Our skin slaps and slides in time with the headboard thumping against the wall. The sheet drops when he props himself up, and we both inhale harshly, letting the cold air fill our lungs and cool our heated bodies.

"Bella," he grits out from behind clenched teeth. Jaw tight and tense, he lowers himself to me again, placing his lips to mine. He moves faster, harder— tightening his grip on my thighs. His eyes squeeze shut and with one final push, he moans into my mouth, "Fuuuuuuccckkk."

He collapses, crushing me beneath his weight and panting into my hair. I can feel the small trembles in his arms, the rise and fall of his chest against mine as his breathing slows. Lying there in the awkward silence, flushed and topless, I blurt the first questionable thought in my head. "Well that escalated quickly."

He laughs into my neck, loud and deep, and I feel it everywhere. "That it did, Sweets."

Smiling sheepishly, he presses a quick kiss to my temple and heads to the bathroom to clean up. I dress quickly and check my phone, letting a big 'fuck me' fly when I see three missed texts from Alec.

_Where r u?_

_I'm in the parking lot._

_I'm leaving in 5 if I don't hear from you._

"Everything okay?"

I nod and look up just in time to get one more glimpse of him shirtless. "Yeah, I just forgot to let Alec know I didn't need a ride."

"That's a rookie mistake, Sweets."

"I know, right? Amateur hour over here."

He snorts and leans against the bathroom doorway. "So listen, you wanna grab dinner tonight? I get off at seven."

I resist the urge to remind him he already got off. "Can't. I'm going to pizza and porn night over at Alice's."

Shaking his head, he steps in front of me, helping me adjust the straps of my backpack onto my shoulders and pulls me closer. "What about tomorrow night?"

"We'll see."

"You ever gonna let me take you out on a date?"

"Sure." I stand on my tiptoes and suck his bottom lip into my mouth before giving him one hell of a goodbye kiss. "I'd like that." He dips down for one more peck. "Thanks for the hall pass."

"Can I at least give you a lift home?" he asks and I turn to him just as I reach his bedroom doorway.

"No thanks. I think I can use some fresh air." He nods, giving me a small wave and a lopsided smirk. "See ya, new kid."

I skip the awkward goodbye entirely by knocking twice on his door.

* * *

Hours later, I'm sitting on Alice's bedroom floor, nibbling on a piece of pizza crust and listening as Alec announces the evening's movie selections.

"Okay, so we have _Legally Boned, Sorest Rump, and Single Tight Female_." He holds the DVDs up like an auctioneer, ready for the bidding to begin. "Which one?"

"_Legally Boned_," Victoria says, blotting the top of her pizza with a paper towel.

"That's one for _Legally Boned_. Rose?" Rose gives a thumbs up, then Alec points to me for the yea or nay, to which I nod. "That's three votes for _Legally Boned_." He makes a pouty face at Alice. "Sorry old gal, no Sorest Rump for you tonight."

Normally on pizza and porn night, I cringe watching the fuckery on the screen. Tonight, however, I'm studying that shit like I'm being tested on it. I wonder if Edward's into this type of thing. The over-the-top moaning and Cirque Du Soleil style positions. Behind me, Victoria is delving out her trade secrets.

"I can only get off when I'm on top." It's funny how she says this so normal, like she's reading a grocery list. "Sometimes with fingers, and almost always when I get kissed like an Aussie."

Rose snorts, but I'm curious. "Like an Aussie?"

Victoria tilts her head and gives me a wink. "When they kiss you down unda'."

"Oh," I say, turning back to the screen, feeling a little embarrassed, "that makes sense."

Rose redirects the conversation, sensing my obvious discomfort. "Fingers only for me. Royce was like a jackhammer."

"Fingers only for me too," Alice pipes up. "Garrett's dick was so small, sometimes I couldn't tell if he was in or not."

Rose and I make eye contact having a Jedi mind shit moment where we both recall when they were in love and Garrett had the biggest dick she'd ever seen. Makes you wonder if love makes you blind or just a liar.

"I'll bet Edward's great in the sack," Victoria muses before taking a small bite of her pizza and chewing 100 times to burn calories.

My hackles rise at the mention of his name, but it's Rose who calls her out. "Stahhpp it! I don't want to think of him in that context, like ever!"

"What?" Victoria asks, genuinely surprised.

I can't listen to anymore. "Alice, do you mind if I go make some popcorn?"

She doesn't even look up from her phone. "Nope, go ahead."

Alice's kitchen is dark, save for the lights from the deck coming in through the window. I toss a bag of popcorn into the microwave and then send a text to Edward.

_Bored. How's your night going?_

Seconds later, he responds._ Meh. It's alright. What are you girls watching?_

_Legally Boned. Jealous?_

The phone beeps. _Of course I am. That's a classic._

The popcorn timer goes off, and I type my final message of the evening._ Time for the movie to start. I'll call you tomorrow._

I press send and place my phone on the counter just as I hear footsteps behind me. Alice is coming down the hall with her hands full of pizza boxes and plates. "Here let me help you with that."

I grab the plates and place them in the sink when I hear my phone chirp again with an incoming text. When I turn, all I see is the crown of Alice's head. When she looks up, the screen illuminates the fierce expression on her face which is somewhere between a malicious glare and unrestrained glee. I see Edward's name on the screen as she hands the phone to me.

"Someone wants to say goodnight."

* * *

**A/N: Looks like shit just got real *Lay drops the mic***

***Carrie ZM picks it up, sprays it with Lysol and beat boxes like Biz Markie* Time for another LayZM Old School Rec on the New School Tip. We're going to continue with our high school theme, since we can't get enough of these fics.**

_**The Hood**_** by Lawn Girl - ****Bella's crush on quiet Edward Cullen seems to be one sided. But when they start hanging out will things change or does it all stay in The Hood?**

_**The Single Game**_** by AwesomeSauce76 -****New girl Bella Swan is finally ready to start dating again, but the only boy she's interested in is too shy to even talk to her. Why are her friends convinced that the answer to her problem is some crazy party game… with kissing? AU/AH, BPOV, COMPLETE.**

**I'm in Lincoln, Nebraska tonight and will be posting from somewhere in Colorado next week. Fingers crossed I can find wi-fi in the mountains to post next Thursday.**

**Quick birthday shout out to Skent94 – hope you have a great one.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – The less you give a damn, the happier you'll be  
__#doyouboo_

"_Someone wants to say goodnight."_

"Ouch!" I grit through my teeth and give my mother a dirty look when she stabs me in the head with a bobby pin for the fifth time.

"You're fine," she says, scraping a few more skin layers from my scalp. Her eyes widen, warning me that I'm one mean mug away from a pinch.

"Sorry," I mutter almost inaudibly, but I don't mean it. I'm beyond miserable and have been ever since my mini-confrontation with Alice a week ago.

Mom doesn't acknowledge my apology and goes back to listening to Tanya's latest story about her nightmare friend, Carmen.

"I love her to death," Tanya says, always beginning her Carmen stories on a positive note, "but I might have to hide her on Facebook." Much like my mother, Tanya is a master at baiting the hook with just the right lure to keep the Nosy Nellies biting. "It's overkill. Too much. She's an overposter."

"I know that's right," Zafrina chirps from her station.

Tanya waves her hand in Zee's direction, as if to say 'see what I mean'. "Like, I love little Demetri, he's a cute kid, no question." I watch as she rubs the cuticle oil into Rose's nail beds and wait for the huge 'but' that's coming. "But…do we really need to see ten pictures of him every single day?" Zafrina shakes her head and mouths the word 'nope'. "And the captions. Do we _really_ need to know what his poop face looks like? Does that _really_ need to be documented?"

"She's just a proud mommy, T." Of course my mother's the one who jumps in to defend this Stage 5 Social Media Etiquette Offender. I swear my mom is the worst. She's one recipe pin away from a full-on, formal PINtervention, and don't get me started on the constant game requests, because I can't with that either. "And speaking of, you should be posting more pictures of little Sasha."

Indignant, Tanya shakes her finger back and forth. "I refuse. She's ruining it for everyone, saturating the baby picture market like that."

"Pfff." Mom looks at her like she's on crack, but she knows there's no reasoning with her.

"It's a fact, and let me tell you, Sasha will be like Bigfoot from now on. You'll get a Facebook sighting every now and again, but that's it." Tanya gives a firm nod of her head, putting her foot down on the matter.

I tune out their mindless chatter, perfectly content to stare at my scowling face in the mirror. Not even Adele eyeliner, fake lashes, and bouffant hair can disguise the fact that I'm a hot mess. My mom nudges me to hand her another pin, and I watch as she pries it open with her teeth. I'm slightly disgusted at the fact that her saliva is coating the bobby pin that will hold my hair in place tonight.

Our eyes meet in the mirror, and I see her lips pucker to the side in disappointment just before she secures another section. She leans down until her head is nearly resting on my shoulder and lowers her voice. "Are you sure you're okay?" I remain stoic, giving her a short nod. "You've been quiet all week. Mad one minute, mopey the next."

"I'm fine."

"You don't _seem_ fine." My mom has this knack for making her words sound both worried and like an accusation.

I roll my eyes and paste on a smile. She's right though – I'm not fine.

"Humph." She grabs the hairspray and gives it a few shakes. "Cover your eyes." My mother's carbon footprint is the size of Port Townsend based solely on hairspray usage. When the aerosol clears, I remove my hands from my face and find her tilting her head and beaming at my reflection. "You look stunning."

I whisper a 'thank you', though I can't agree with the compliment. Where she sees a beautiful girl, I see a coward who instead of standing up, stood down. My confrontation with Alice plays over and over again in my head. Hindsight being 20/20, there are so many things I wish I'd done differently and things I could've and should've said in that moment. I stare unseeing into the mirror as my mind flashes back to that night in Alice's kitchen.

"Someone wants to say goodnight." Her voice sounds both sinister and sickly sweet as she hands me the phone.

Somehow, I'm able to control my rising panic and keep my face expressionless and my voice unaffected. "Thanks."

After a long pause, she leans back against the counter. "Tell me something. Why would Edward be texting _you_ at this late hour?"

I shrug as I pull the popcorn out of the microwave, and avoiding eye contact at all costs.

"Well obviously he wants to say goodnight to you." She hums, and I hear her fingers tapping on the counter, one at a time, faster and faster until she stops. "But _why_?"

"We're friends," I say simply. Technically, it's not a lie.

"Friends." She chews on the word for a moment. "How friendly?"

"Alice," I sigh her name in annoyance, "we're just friends who occasionally text. We were chatting, he said goodnight. No big deal."

"Well, what were you chatting about, hmm?" She dips her chin like she's asking an innocent question, to which I roll my eyes. "How often do you two text each other?" she asks, continuing her interrogation as she crosses the kitchen floor until she's right beside me, hunched over the counter and propping her chin on her hand. "Does _Victoria_ know how friendly you two are?"

I huff. "Alice…"

She cuts me off, repeating her question slower, only this time her tone of voice matches her growing sneer. "Does Victoria know how friendly you are?"

"Of course she knows we're friends. His future step-sister is MY best friend." I smile as I add that last bit in, because I know it kills her that she'll never be closer to Rose than I am. "Not that it matters anyway."

Her lips form a tight line. "It should matter."

"Why?"

"Because she likes him, and unless you're talking to him about her, you shouldn't be chatting with him at all."

I hold a finger up to her. "One, I can and will talk to anyone I want to." She smirks as I raise a second finger. "Two, you and I both know she's only interested in him until James comes around, not that he ever left."

Her smile widens and she shakes her head slowly. "Doesn't matter. She's supposed to be _your_ friend." She steps closer and takes my popcorn. Her words come out in a whisper. "And a _real friend_ wouldn't be sneaking around behind her back."

Popping a kernel in her mouth, she leans against the counter, pleased with the obvious effect her passive-aggressive approach has on me. I will myself to stop the words, but I blurt them anyway. "He's not even interested in her."

"Maybe not," she tilts her head side-to-side, considering this, "but as her friend, you should be encouraging him to take an interest in her." We're quiet for a few moments, staring at each other in a silent stand-off until she covers her mouth with her hand, stifling a giggle. "Oh honey. You don't honestly think he's interested in you, right?"

Her words hit me like a sucker punch. A short, quick jab that you only feel momentarily. The ache and the ebb come later.

She clucks her tongue and approaches me again, gently pinching a tendril of hair between her thumb and forefinger. "I get it though. A guy who's kind of _way_ out of your league pays you a bit of attention." A sick, satisfied grin creeps across her face as she softly tugs at the ends. "It probably felt like he was interested, but…" she trails off.

"But what?" I can barely restrain the irritation in my voice.

"Well, he was new. He had no friends. You rolled out the welcome wagon and he felt obligated… because you're Rose's friend," she says as though it's obvious. "I just don't want you to embarrass yourself… or Rose. I mean what would she think?"

I stiffen at her words, realizing that the possibility of losing Victoria's friendship isn't the only consequence here. Although the group dynamic is questionable at best, something like this could destroy us. Years of friendships could be severed in one selfish act.

She shrugs innocently and gives me a look of pity. "I think it's best just to stop this before _someone_ gets hurt." Her eyes meet mine, and there's no question that her next words are a warning. "I'd hate for Victoria to find out what you've been up to."

I'm snapped back to the present when I hear cat calls and whistles from my mom and the girls as Alec strolls in, dressed in a sharp fitted suit. He gives me a wink before adjusting his cufflinks and straightening his tie. This makes me smile, and sadly, it's the first genuine one this week.

I take one last look in the mirror and draw a deep breath. Tonight will be hard. There's no way I can dodge Edward this evening like I have his calls and texts this past week. I can't skip out by convincing Charlie that menstrual rage is a legit excusable absence like I did to get out of school on Monday and Tuesday. I'm not able to write a pass to help decorate for the dance like I did Wednesday through Friday. And hiding out in the library is not an option like I did through lunch all this week.

Rose calls my name and points to her wrist, letting me know it's time to head to her house to get ready for the dance. Nodding, I exhale deeply. _Let's get this over with.  
_

* * *

"Rose, chin up," Esme says, zooming in, "Tilt your head to the left, and smile." I hear about eight clicks. "Perfect, now Bella go stand next to Rose."

Rose gives me an apologetic shrug which I wave off. This isn't my first rodeo with Esme going paparazzo on us. She wraps her arms around me, and we begin the pose-off. The bestie bear hug. The kissy face. The Charlie's Angels. The Gap pose where we look anywhere but at the camera.

I hear footsteps coming from the stairs, and my stomach flips when I see Edward and Carlisle round the corner. He is head-to-toe-perfection from his carefully crafted bed head to the flawless fit of his charcoal suit.

"You girls look stunning," Carlisle compliments before turning to his son. "Don't they look beautiful, Edward?"

He shoves his hands in his pants pockets and nods, meeting my eyes with a tight-lipped smile.

"Edward, get in with the girls." Esme practically pushes him in our direction. "In between them," she tells him, never looking away from the screen.

I wonder if they see the way he carefully maneuvers around me, so close, but never touching. I smile at the camera, secretly giddy at his nearness as the smell of his soap and spearmint swirl around me. Esme fires off five quick rounds before giving her next instruction. "Bella get closer, Edward put your arms around them."

There's only a second of hesitation before I scoot closer and lean into his chest while his arm winds around to gently rest on the top of my hip.

Carlisle starts telling Esme to get closer and go horizontal instead of vertical to which she schools him in the fine art of photographing the dress you just paid an arm and a leg for. My smile widens, grateful for the snapshot showdown because Edward's thumb is rubbing small circles against the beading on my dress.

"Hello, hello," Victoria saunters in wearing the black number with the questionable cutouts, followed by Alec and my parents.

Carlisle tells Alec and Victoria to get into the picture, and I feel Edward's grip tighten on me when she moves to slip in under his arm.

"Hey Edward," she says as she walks up, swaying her hips and staring seductively.

"Hey Vic."

_Vic?_ If her pink face could blush it would at the sound of him giving her a nickname. I can see it now, tonight she'll be doodling Mrs. Vic Cullen into her dumb diary.

"Bella move over so you can be on the end since you're the shortest," Victoria says with a flick of her wrist. Translation: Beat it, geek.

For a split-second, I think about saying 'no'. A huge part of me wants to see her flick of the wrist and raise it with a flick of the finger, but the shuffling of stilettos and a high pitched 'hello' stops me in my tracks.

"Hey everyone." Alice waves like she's the one with the tiara on her head. She may address everyone in the room, but her eyes let me know that she doesn't approve of my proximity to Edward.

"Hi guys," Peter says from behind her. I don't know what's more pathetic, that she couldn't just go stag with the group or that she brought someone she can barely tolerate.

We spend the next fifteen minutes standing there awkwardly posing and smiling like we're in a tampon commercial. When Carlisle gently pries the camera from Esme's hands, we're able to relax.

"Alice you look UH-mazing, tonight!" Victoria's bubbly voice and blatant butt kissing is already dancing on my last nerve, but Alice eats that shit up.

"Thanks. We got it in Seattle, it's a —"

Alec cuts her off. "Imma let you finish, but Rosalie's dress is the greatest of all time."

Alice's mouth pops open while I cover mine to suppress my laughter. Rose is the only one who gracefully recovers by grabbing Alec's arm and dragging him out the door. "Okay Kanye, let's go eat."

* * *

Dinner is a nightmare. Between listening to Alice go on and on about her dress and watching Victoria try to bait Edward into feeding her food off his plate, the only thing this meal has going for it is the flask of Fireball in Alec's jacket. By the time it's over, I realize that tonight is going to be so much harder than I thought. It's a good thing I drank my dinner.

This is evident as we walk to our cars. Victoria whines incessantly to Edward about being cold and asking him to hold her. Instead, he gives her his jacket to which I roll my eyes. Might as well be a marriage proposal to crazy pants.

"You're so sweet to me, Eddie," she says loud enough for the group to hear.

I like to think it's the Fireball that makes me do it, but I know for a fact it's my irrational jealousy that makes me utter my next words. "He is sweet." I glare at him. "Maybe he'll buy you a milkshake."

I turn and amble to the car, but not before hearing Edward bark out a short disbelieving laugh and Victoria using her baby voice to let him know that she just _loves_ milkshakes.

Alec's taking a swig from his flask when I reach out and grab it, letting him know he won't be getting it back for the rest of the evening.

Somewhere between the restaurant and the dance, I rally, deciding not to let this shit-fest situation ruin my last homecoming dance. Sure I hate dancing because whenever I do it, I look like someone who probably deserves a Tosh.0 web redemption. I just can't seem to bring myself to care.

"I give NO FUCKS!" I say proudly from the backseat, toasting Alec and Rose with the flask o' fun.

Alec and Rose exchange a look before resuming their shitty-music-sing-a-long.

* * *

Once we get to the dance, my no fucks mantra is in full effect. Alec and I part the crowd, making our way to the middle of the floor so only a few people can see us make asses of ourselves. I laugh as Alec spins me around the floor. There's no gyrating or groin grinds like the goddamn Ke$ha video dancers around us.

I dance with Garrett and his new girlfriend, Kate, who Alice absolutely hates. I'm pretty sure I hug her hard and tell Garrett that I love her right in front of a scowling Alice before giving her a playful wink. I make a mental note to send Kate a tweet letting her know how happy she makes Garrett for good measure.

After a dozen songs, I take a break and head to the punch table. Fireball and fruit punch, probably not the best combination, but it'll do in a pinch, especially when a slow song comes on. I hear Victoria somewhere nearby reminding _Eddie_ that he promised her a dance. I can't look. I don't want to.

But I do.

No amount of cinnamon flavored deliciousness can take the bitter taste out of my mouth as I watch her drag him by the arm to the dance floor. A part of me is hopeful since he looks miserable and there's a good four to six inches between them, but that crumbles when I see her wrap her arms around his neck and melt into his chest. Her eyes are searching, probably looking for James.

The urge to vomit is strong, and the longer I sit there watching them slowly sway, the more I realize it's no urge. I'm going to puke. I barely make it to the bathroom before I'm hurling the booze and two fried mozzarella sticks I ate tonight all over the toilet.

* * *

Three breath mints and a few rinses in the sink later, I'm at the drinking fountain. Water isn't nearly as tasty as Fireball, but it probably won't burn as bad coming up. When I stand, I notice Edward walking toward me quickly. He doesn't look happy.

"You okay?"

I nod, gulping down the water, careful not to speak to him knowing that Alice could pop out of a locker at any moment.

He clears his throat. "Can we talk?"

I give him a small shrug and look around the deserted hallway all paranoid. I notice the chemistry door ajar and motion for him to follow me.

"So… what's up?" Indifference laces my tone as I lean against a table, folding my arms across my chest.

He shakes his head and chuckles humorlessly, shutting the door behind him a little harder than necessary. "Seriously? Why don't you tell me what's up?" I don't answer and given the sarcastic tone of his voice, I doubt he wanted me to anyway. "Hmm? What's goin' on with you?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean, nothin'?" His voice rises. "You've been dodgin' me for a week straight."

"I'm busy."

"Busy my ass," he says, stepping closer. "You don't have ten seconds to say two words to me?" He roughly pushes his jacket back from his hips and shoves his hands in his pockets as he stands over me, glaring. "You got nothin' to say, huh?"

"Nope." I narrow my eyes defiantly and hope he doesn't notice the tremble in my voice.

"Oh, I think you do with that fuckin' milkshake comment back there," he jerks his thumb behind him,"which was bullshit, by the way."

I scoff and wave my hand dismissively. "Like you cared when you've got _Vic_ all over your dick. Lucky for you, she _loves_ milkshakes."

His eyes widen and his jaw tenses and the next thing I know he and I are in each other's faces. He's tapping his temple telling me that I'm fucking crazy, and I'm jabbing an angry finger into his chest calling him an asshole.

"I'm the asshole? Fuck that, you're the asshole. What did I do?" he asks incredulously. "You stopped talkin' to me, remember?" He's towering over me now, backing me into the table. His hands go up and his voice comes down as he steps away. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I watch him back up until he leans against the door. "Just tell me what happened. What changed?"

"We can't… do that anymore," I say, gripping the edge of the table so tightly it hurts almost as much as speaking those words. "Victoria likes you, and I knew she did, so that was, like, really wrong of me." His brow furrows, trying to follow my babbling. "But Alice saw your text and pretty much warned me to stay away from you."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And why the fuck does that matter?"

"She's my friend, Edward," I say quietly, realizing how true this statement is despite my negative thoughts towards her for the past month. "And she likes you." Another truth. "And I don't want to hurt her."

We stand in silence for awhile, the only sound coming from the gym where hundreds of kids scream the chorus to the _Best Song Ever_ at the top of their lungs.

"Well that sucks, Sweets." His hands are back on his hips. "'Cause I like you."

I want to scream that I like him too, but the small seed of doubt Alice planted screams a little louder. "Well don't."

"You're fuckin' unbelievable."

He explodes again, and we're back in each other's faces with me accusing him of flirting and leading her on, and him asking me if I hear how fucking crazy I sound right now.

"I don't flirt or invite that shit!"

"You do! You sit there and fucking let her paw you and you just…" I'm so pissed I can't even figure out how to finish my sentence. "You just let her."

"Come on, what do you want me to do? Throat punch her?"

_Yes._ "No. Just stop encouraging it. Stop with the games. I hate games!"

"THEN STOP PLAYIN' THEM!" His voice booms and echoes through the room, silencing the crazy in my head and spilling from my mouth.

"You don't understand." I lower my voice considerably and plead with my eyes. "I stand to lose everything." I tick them off on my fingers. "Victoria. Alec. _Rose_." My voice breaks slightly when I say her name, worried about what she and Alec will think of me when they find out I messed around with someone I knew was off-limits. "Years and years of friendship, Edward."

"Well, we can't have that now, can we?"

He walks out of the room, without so much as a second glance. And for the first time ever, he doesn't knock twice.

When I finally pull myself together, I walk out and notice James and Mike Newton near the bathroom. The stoner and the goth kid chat and chuckle like a couple of chicks, but once I see the handshake and the awkward bro-hug, I know their friendliness has more to do with the money and weed they exchanged.

I remain in the doorway, hoping not to be seen coming out of a dark room minutes after an angry Edward Cullen stormed out. James acknowledges me with a bob of his head and a smirk, and I wonder if they heard us.

"You okay, Bells?" Mike asks, approaching me slowly like I'm a wild animal.

"Never better," I lie with a smile, wiping under my eyes and worrying that my eyeliner looks shitty and smudged like his.

"You look great," he says, slipping the dime bag into his front pocket since there probably isn't one in his pleather kilt. "Cool dress."

"Thanks," I gesture to his outfit, "you too."

* * *

"What does he see in her?" Alice seethes, watching Kate and Garrett dance, and ignoring the fact that Peter is in ear shot.

"She looks good from where I'm standing," Alec replies smugly, earning him a dirty look and an eye roll.

"Hmph." Alice quirks her eyebrow. "Good from afar, but far from good."

I hear Rose audibly sigh and pull Alec back onto the dance floor when the DJ starts up another slow song, while Alice heads in the direction of the bathroom.

"Dance with me," Edward whispers from behind me as his hand wraps around my elbow. I don't move. "Please."

He doesn't wait for an answer, lacing his fingers through mine and leading me to the floor right beside Rose and Alec who are too busy spinning and singing along obnoxiously with John Legend to notice the act of treason being committed before their eyes.

When he pulls me close, I don't fight it. There's not an inch of space between us. Our joined hands cover his heart, and his chin rests atop of my head thanks to my heels.

I close my eyes and let myself have this moment with him, taking in the way he hums into my hair and rubs the soft skin of my hand with his thumb. We move together, swaying back and forth in time with the music.

"HEY!" Rose and Alec yell in unison and bump into us. I can feel Edward's chest vibrate with laughter, and I open my eyes to see my two best friends smiling down at me. They serenade us briefly, and I pray they don't pull us into one of those awkward group dances.

"You're my end and my beginning. Even when I lose, I'm winning." Rose sings into my cheek before giving me a loud smooch and a slap on the butt.

As we watch Alec spin her away, he tightens his grip around my waist. Turning my head, I curl into his chest, needing to be closer. I gaze at our linked fingers and give his hand a small squeeze. His lips curve into a smile against my skin. I'm smiling too until I lock eyes with Victoria across the room.

I stare at her blankly. Expressionless and unapologetic for the way I'm wrapped around him. I'm sure a better friend would untangle herself, apologize profusely and plead for understanding. Maybe even express a hint of regret.

But I won't.

I may regret the way this all came to be, and I'll hate myself for hurting someone I care about, but deep down I know that I belong with Edward. She can't claim what was never hers.

Her eyes widen as confusion turns to understanding. I suppose I expected her reaction to be more obvious like hurt or anger, maybe even contempt. But what I see plain on her face is far more unnerving than any of those emotions combined – sheer determination.

She gives me a curt nod, letting me know the gloves are off. When she turns and walks away, I know that one thing is certain.

This isn't over.

Several moments later, the song ends and he places his lips to my temple and murmurs, "You gotta figure this out, Sweets."

"I know. I will. I'll tell her, I just…" I trail off, closing my eyes and nuzzle into his chest for a second more. "I just need some time."

"Good," he says, gently lifting my chin with his fingertip so my eyes meet his. "Because we're not doing anything wrong."

* * *

**A/N: One more night of my Rocky Mountain High then it's back to life, back to reality...**

**Time to let it WIP.**

**_Cadillac_ by ThisIsReallyHappening - *Carrie ZM fans herself* Girls... Get on this tale from the _Dirty_ South - Bella's dirt poor and Edward has a dirty mouth. Hot, hot, hot! Don't miss it!**

**_The Drop _by lola-pops - Hopefully everyone is already reading this and if you're not then you need to be. High school romance and angst done right. No one and I mean NO ONE does high school love like lola-pops. This is a must read.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic. ****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story. ****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – Always choose happiness.  
__#chooseyourchoice_

"_Because we're not doing anything wrong."_

Coach Clapp drones through the attendance list while Edward incessantly clicks his pen beside me. After a week of awkward interactions and minimal texting, I can tell his patience is waning. In my defense, Victoria's been out of school a few days this week for college visits, and this probably isn't a conversation we should have over the phone.

However, even in her absence, she's stepping up her game where Edward is concerned. I see constant tweets and statuses on his wall, spamming it with pictures zoomed in on the two of them from homecoming. It's the social media equivalent of pissing on him.

She's back today but bringing this topic up at the lunch table in front of Edward and our friends seems heartless. I keep going back and forth on how to tell her. I'm either going to be cruel to be kind or just a straight-up bitch.

I chew my pen cap, going over the conversation I need to have with her in my head. A part of me thinks I should plead with her, tell her she's my friend first and I just need her blessing. Somehow I know though that the look we exchanged at the dance last week was anything but friendly, and any chance of getting the go-ahead is gone.

So I'll have to go another route, giving her a heaping helping of truth. State the facts plainly. He likes me, not you, and we're going to be together. Reiterate that she's my friend and I'd love her to be supportive because she's special to me… but so is he. I nod my head, knowing that's the way it has to go down.

Coach Clapp blows his whistle and half the classroom jumps. "Everyone line up, single file. No talking in the halls."

I look at Edward who's standing and pulling his backpack strap over his shoulder. He must understand the blank look on my face because I have no idea why we're leaving. "Pep assembly, remember?"

I keep my eyes trained on the floor as we walk through the hallways, listening to Edward's footsteps fall in sync with mine. The pep band starts up as we near the gym, trying to hype up the crowd. My stomach knots, knowing that there's a possibility that Victoria's going to see us come in together and jump to conclusions. Either that or she's going to put on quite the show, demonstrating how flexible she is for him. I can't with that today. I eye the door to the parking lot, strongly considering making a run for it.

"Hold up a sec," Edward says quietly, wrapping his hand around my wrist. He pulls me over to the equipment room just off the gym and looks around to make sure no one's watching before slipping inside.

I hear the latch click and the flip of the light switch. A single bulb barely lights up the small space, buzzing and flickering every now and again. Shelves line the room, filled with everything from balls to uniforms, and smells like sweaty wrestling mats and rubber.

My back hits the door just as his bag falls to the ground. With his eyes on my lips, he leans down and palms my face. We hesitate for only a split-second before our mouths collide.

His lips move over mine, kissing me roughly and groaning into my mouth as he presses his weight against me. Our eyes lock for a moment when he sucks my tongue hard and drags his teeth over my bottom lip. He holds it there like a hostage, a subtle reminder that he's there and waiting in the balance. I swipe my tongue over my lip, soothing the sting when he kisses down my neck, licking and nipping as he goes, leaving me a panting mess.

Outside the crowd roars and stomps in time with the building drumbeat. The sound pounds in my ears, and my heart crashes against my ribs as his hands slip lower and lower down my body. Gripping my leg, he lifts and hooks it around his waist. He claims my mouth again, the desperation in the kiss making my lips ache. Pulling away, he buries his face into my neck.

"Touch me," I beg, reaching for his hand.

"Tell her," he whispers hotly against my throat.

I open my eyes at his words, only to find him staring back at me. He traces his thumb over my jaw before kissing me once more, long and slow.

"Tell her," he repeats more firmly this time. "Or I will."

I nod as I watch him grab his bag and head out of the room, knocking twice on the wall before he goes.

* * *

"Head down, Bella," my mother says, tipping my head forward and pulling the hair tight before making the first cut. "Three inches is an awful lot to take off all at once." She hums a bit, letting her observation sit there, seeing if I'll take the bait, which I don't. "So do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Well something's obviously bugging you."

My mother claims that most women change their hair whenever something traumatic happens in their life. Obviously the word 'traumatic' is used in the very loosest sense, given that in most cases at the salon it mainly applies to the four B's – break ups, breakdowns, bitches, and bullshit. Mom fancies herself to be a combination hair stylist and shrink.

"Boy trouble?" I almost want to laugh at how hopeful she looks when she says this one, almost. She tries again. "Are you fighting with your friends?"

I hesitate for a split-second, thinking a good bitch session with my mom might make me feel better. Truly, I only know a handful of people who love talking shit more than her, but I decide against it and sigh in annoyance.

But it's too late. She's on to me.

"Who's bothering you?" Her voice drops from chipper with clippers Renee to a certified original gangster. I see her exchange a look with Esme in the mirror, and it might as well be a gang sign. I swear when they want to be, these two are scary as shit, like a teardrop tat and a Crip walk away from getting their own episode of Gangland.

Esme leans against my mom's station with a hand on her hip. "Well, we know it's not Rose or Alec."

"Is it that Brandon girl?" My mother's eyes narrow. "I'm telling you, _that_ girl is trouble just like her mother."

"Renee," Zafrina scolds from the office where she's entering the inventory.

"What?" Mom asks, dipping her head and shrugging her shoulders. "I'm just saying, when you're raised by a rotten woman, you turn out to be a bad seed."

Esme covers her mouth, trying hard not to laugh at my mother's cattiness. Shamefully though, I'm intrigued so I make no effort to stop her once she gets going. I always get the juiciest dish when there are no customers in the salon.

"I mean, far be it for me to judge anyone…" Mom holds her hand over her heart, like that will make her sound like less of a hag. "But most of us know that Cindy Brandon, or _Cynthia _as she likes to call herself these days, was nothing more than the town trampoline turned train wreck."

"Renee," Zee says again, a little sharper, but not enough to stop my mother's truth talk.

"I'm sorry, but what kind of self-respecting woman parades around town, paying her and her kid's way with that old, potbellied pig-faced man from Port Angeles' money?" Mom shakes her head, all worked up now, checking my ends. "It's a good thing she still has her looks, because all that money that married old coot is giving her can't buy her an ounce of class." She waves her scissors around. "And don't even get me started on her little flirtation with George Whitlock."

_Interesting_. Alice's mom is never home, and when she is, she's tipsy and usually telling us about her latest boyfriend. Mom's right about one thing, portly, pig-faced men with big wallets do seem to be her type.

My phone vibrates with an incoming text from Alec telling me to hurry up. Garrett's parents are out of town for the weekend so naturally he throws an all-day rager. I'm quite certain Alec is either drunk or stoned out of his mind, given that he's been there since late morning, and it's now almost six o'clock in the evening.

I reply that I'll be there soon, though I'm tempted to also see who's in attendance. I know Rose is at Emmett's, and I highly doubt Alice would be there to watch Kate and Garrett make out all night, but I'm not sure about Victoria. The last thing I need is a drunken showdown with her. I decide against asking in the interest of not raising suspicion. Even if he's a bit shit faced, Alec's knack for nib-nosing is always on point.

Carlisle and Charlie arrive to pick up Mom and Esme for dinner. Tonight they're doing the food tasting for their upcoming New Year's Eve wedding. It'll be an intimate affair, only 30 people or so, but given the size of Esme's wedding planning binder, there will be nothing small about it.

Mom finishes my cut and leaves me to style it since she's in a hurry. They say goodbye to me and Zee and remind us to lock up. My mom gives me a look that says our conversation isn't finished, and I respond in kind with a half wave, half eye roll. Zee catches it and shakes her head at me, chuckling a bit.

"I'm heading out unless you need me," I tell Zee once I'm done drying and straightening my hair.

"Go on home, hun. I'll get out of here soon enough."

"You sure?"

"You're gonna make me lose my place now," she says, though I can tell she's smiling. "Get out of here before I change my mind."

"Later Zee."

The bells clang over the door, and the wind whips my hair all around, making the twenty minutes I spent styling it seem totally pointless. It's a relatively quick walk to Garrett's place. He lives a few blocks away from the salon on a quiet street lined with old Victorian-style homes. His house is all lit up, and I can hear the music from up the block. It's a wonder the party hasn't been busted up yet.

I walk up the steps of the wraparound porch just as a drunken Seth stumbles out the door wearing a pair of sunglasses. He's clearly oblivious to the fact that it's dark out, but I suppose it's always sunny in Doucheville.

"Sup?" He jerks his chin at me before grabbing his package, and I feel a game of 'wanna stroke my skin slinky' coming on. He must see my cringe and awkward shuffle to the door. "I gotta take a leak."

Relieved, I go to ring the doorbell when I see something through the window that stops me dead in my tracks. Edward's there, playing cards with the guys looking hotter than I've ever seen him in a black hoodie and a backwards cap. Garrett's next to him with Kate on his lap, sucking on his neck. Behind them I see Alice starring daggers in Kate's direction while Alec pours a few shots at the counter.

But it's Victoria who has my attention. Victoria, whose hips are swaying seductively as she approaches Edward and places a red solo cup in front of him before plopping into his lap. She takes his hat off and puts it on her head with a playful smile on her face and begins toying with the strings on his hoodie.

The sinking feeling in my stomach is only momentarily relieved when I see him grab his cap and put it back on his head. His expression is annoyed, but she's still right there, giggling in his lap and staking her claim as always.

And he's letting her.

"That's not for you, you know?"

I turn to see James leaning on the railing behind me, lighting up a joint with a flick of his Zippo.

"What do you mean?" I ask, watching him squint and pinch the blunt as he takes a deep pull.

"That," he says, motioning to Edward and Victoria inside and holding the smoke for as long as he can. "That show isn't for you." He looks almost amused as he watches them and exhales slowly. "It's for me."

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't think - I know." He chuckles a bit and steps forward. "She wants my attention."

"Does she have it?" I ask, hearing the rolling paper crackle as it burns through his long inhale.

He nods, blowing out the smoke. "She does."

Side-by-side, we watch them speaking closely, though I can't see their faces. His hands are at his sides, but her hands are on him. My throat tightens and my stomach twists tightly in my gut. James offers me a toke, holding it absently in front of me with his eyes never leaving her. The thought of getting altered does sound appealing at the moment to numb the hurt.

"Jasper's?" I ask, motioning to the joint making sure it's the good stuff.

He shakes his head in the negative. "I'm sampling from those La Push boys."

I politely decline and wonder if he's so fucked up that he's okay with smoking a dirty bag of shake.

He takes another drag, pulling it through deep before leaning closer and waving his hand in their direction. "I'll bet if I walked in there right now, told her I wanted her..." he trails off, and I turn to see him looking at me intently with the smoke billowing out of his mouth as he speaks. "She'd follow."

I bite the inside of my cheek and cross my arms over my chest. A part of me wants to tell James to do it, take her, and make her forget Edward. But a bigger part of me, the one that remembers what a great friend she's been in the past wants to tell him to go fuck himself. And so I do. "She deserves better."

My feet hit the second stair when I hear him agree. "You're probably right, Swan."

I pick up the pace once I reach the sidewalk, needing to get the fuck out of there. Away from him and her, from the secrets and the lies. Serves me right though, being so ready to claim what was never mine to begin with. I'm no better than her.

My footsteps are loud against the pavement, stomping out my frustration as I turn that scene over in my mind and try to make sense of everything. But I can't.

I wish I could call Rose to spill the secret and get her perspective, but if I do, I may suffer the consequences of her knowing what a bad friend I am. And talking to my mother is absolutely out of the question. I can just see it now, me confessing, her flipping out and reminding me about the time in seventh grade when Victoria skipped my salon birthday party to go to a movie with some ninth grader. My mother is like an elephant, she never forgets. Objectivity is not her strong suit, but retaliation is.

The lights in the salon are still on when I walk by. I push the door open, and the bells slam against the glass.

"Zee?"

* * *

I spin in my mother's chair, coming clean about everything. Well almost everything. I love Zafrina, but I keep the dry humping and jeepin' to myself.

It feels good to confess. Getting to own my feelings for him and acknowledge that he feels something for me as well. I confide my fears as well, like how I worry that he could change his mind at anytime and all of this was for nothing. It's freeing.

I close my eyes, dizzy from staring at the ceiling. "What do I do, Zee?"

She's quiet for a few moments, and I open my eyes to make sure she's still there. I see her leaning back, her elbows resting on the arms of the chair, with her hands folded on her stomach. She looks at me from over her glasses, but there's not an ounce of judgment in her eyes.

Rose's ringtone blares from my pocket so I mouth the words 'hold on' while I answer. I hear music and muffled voices in the background.

"Where are you?" Rose asks loudly, trying to talk over the noise.

"The salon, why?"

There's a short pause. "I thought you were going to Garrett's."

Bringing my knees to my chest, I rest my chin on them. "I did – but I left."

More silence. "Edward's blowing up my phone, looking for you."

Somehow her words come out as both a statement and a question, and I freeze, wondering if she knows.

"Why?" I ask, checking my messages and feeling a little bad for ignoring my phone.

There's one from wastey-pants Alec, telling me to 'ducking get my ass over there'. _Gotta love auto-correct._ Another is from Alice also saying to 'hurry over' and adding that I'm 'missing all the fun'. Then there are two from Edward. One is asking where I am, and the other asking why I left.

I wonder how he knows. Did James tell him, or was it Seth?

I hear the click of a door on her end, and the noise in the background dies down. "That's a good question," she says, her voice sounds a little too knowing. "You should call him and find out."

I blow out a deep breath. "Yeah well, when I saw him he was fine."

Another voice comes over the line. It's deep and gravely and has Rose giggling into the phone. "Say hi to Bella, babe." He says 'hello' which brings another fresh round of laughter.

"I'm gonna go," I say, hearing the distinct sound of kissing on the other end.

"Fine," she pants between kisses, "but call him."

I hang up and look at Zee.

"Rose," I say, holding up my phone and looking at his message again. "Apparently he knows I was there." I slip my phone back in my pocket and start to swing the chair side to side. "So thoughts?"

She lowers her glasses, letting them hang from their chain. "What are you sure of?"

"I'm sure I like him." She nods. "I'm pretty sure he likes me." Nodding again, she leans forward in her seat and clasps her hands beneath her chin. "I'm sure if we're together I'll lose a friend, maybe more, I don't know."

She hums and inspects her cuticles. "And you're sure he's worth it?"

Without hesitation, my head bobs up and down emphatically. "Absolutely. I just—"

"Just what?"

"I want to be sure I'm doing the right thing, and if I am then I want to not feel so fucking guilty about it." Her brow quirks high into her hairline and I bring my fingers to my lips when I let the f-bomb fly and whisper a quick 'sorry'.

"Real talk." She claps her hands twice in time with her words. "I'm not gonna sit here and blow smoke up your ass. You should've told her from jump. Sneaking around makes you look guilty as hell and you need to _own that_." I mouth the word 'yeah' at her pointed look. "But he gets a choice in this too, and if he chooses you, then she's struck."

My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it, never taking my eyes off Zee.

"Your mom has a saying about regret." I roll my eyes. "Listen now. She says that 'regret is what you get for not going after what you want.' " She stands and puts her glasses back on. "That's no way to live now, is it?"

I shrug one shoulder and pick at a hole in the knee of my jeans.

"That's good advice you know. You should listen to her."

I roll my eyes again, not interested in taking advice from my mother the mean girl. "Pass."

Zee slumps in her seat again, tilting her head at me. "Are you for real right now?" I want to say 'yes' but the tone of her voice sounds more like 'oh is she crazy'.

"My mom is out of touch, Zee." I tap my temple. "And she's just…" I search for the right words. "She's on a new level of mean. I'm not about that life."

Zee looks at me seriously for like thirty seconds before smacking her knee and barking out a laugh. "You're not about that life." More laughter. "Come on now. Girl, please."

"I'm not."

"And neither is your mom." Now I'm the one laughing, but I stop when I see she's serious. "She comes on a bit strong, but it's from a good place." I scoff and cross my arms over my chest. "Let me ask you something, if someone gave Rose a hard time would you stand back?" I shake my head. "You'd lay into them right?"

"Of course."

"You'd defend her."

"Right to the ground."

"Because you want to protect her."

I nod and clarify. "Because I love her."

Zee jabs her finger in my direction. "Exactly."

"I don't get it."

"Your mom loves you the exact same way. And yeah, she may overdo it with the cattiness, but that's just her way. She'd rather come out swinging than ever let you get hurt. It's her way of protecting—"

Two familiar knocks on the glass interrupt her explanation. I turn to see Edward at the door, giving me a small smile and a slight wave.

Standing, I look to Zee and shrug. "I'll uh…see you later." I point at him. "I better go see what he wants."

"Mmm hmm," she says, hugging me quick before walking back to the office and muttering under her breath. "I'll tell you what he wants."

* * *

He's leaning against a parked car with his hands shoved into his hoodie pocket when I open the door.

"What are you doing here?"

"Why'd you leave?"

I turn my key in the lock roughly and start walking towards my house. "Didn't want to disrupt the fun little lap dance you had going."

"Hold-up," he says, his feet shuffling on the sidewalk behind me. "Bella, wait." I'm almost to the elementary school playground when he catches up with me, grabbing my wrist and turning me to face him. "Hey!"

"I don't want to hear it!" I seethe, wrenching my arm from his grip.

"You said you were going to tell her!"

"I didn't realize you were giving me a twenty-four hour window before you'd let her sit on your dick."

"Stahp it with that! Lemme—"

"No, you staahhhpp it with that!" His eyes widen when I mimic his accent. "I'm done."

"You can't be done," he yells over my retreating footsteps. "Because I told her."

I stop dead in my tracks, and he's behind me in an instant, taking my hand in his.

"I told her I'm with you."

"Was she…" I trail off before meeting his eyes.

"She wasn't happy," he admits, pulling me towards the playground until he's sitting in a swing, and I'm standing between his legs. "I think she already knew, though."

"I should've been the one to tell her."

He gives me a half shrug. "Yeah, well. Not much you can do about it now."

"True," I say, my voice breaking a bit.

"So," he smiles and gives our joined hands a small squeeze before continuing. "Question for you."

"Shoot."

His eyes are level with mine, and he watches me intently, pushing wayward strands of hair behind my ears. He cups my cheeks gently and presses his forehead against mine. "You gonna be my girl, Sweets?"

I close my eyes and exhale shakily through my smile, reminding myself that we each have a choice in all of this too. And we chose each other.

"Yeah," I whisper, barely brushing my lips against his. "I'm your girl."

* * *

**A/N: You don't think she'll get off that easy, do you?**

**Life is crazy hectic for us – so we have nothing to let WIP. Instead, Carrie ZM has two favorites for you to check out if you haven't already.**

_**Watching Her**_** by Les16 - She's his Drummer Girl. She plays. She dances. She's got secrets. He watches her. If he comes out of the woods will she let him in or close the doors forever? **

_**Drumsticks and Penalty Kicks**_** by Les16 - He still watches her. She still plays the drums. They just do it together. Drummer Girl and Creeper learn to love, trust, and grow together. Sequel/Continuation to "Watching Her". AH.**

**Tell us what WIP is owning you and what you're loving about it.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code- Little white lies become the big, ugly truth  
__#friendtervention_

"_I'm your girl."_

There's that moment each morning where I lie in bed with my eyes closed. I'm not awake, but not asleep. Normally I hate it and spend it wishing I could snooze a few more minutes. Today is different. This morning I bask in that quiet time, running a finger over my bottom lip and remembering the look in his eyes and the smile on his face when I told him I was his girl.

"Why couldn't we have slept in a few hours before coming over?" I hear Alec whining as he trudges up my staircase.

"Because she needs us," Rose says before knocking loudly. "Bella? You in there?"

"Yeah."

"You dressed?"

"Uh, yeah."

Alec barges in with Rose hot on his heels. He's looking disheveled wearing sweats, a hoodie, and a baseball hat with the brim low over his eyes. I can't recall the last time I saw him in a hat, but I think it might have been when he had an incident with some Sun-In.

"Get up girl, shit just got real," he says, plopping down on my bed.

Panicked, I sit up quickly. "Huh? Where?"

His eyes get big, and he puts a finger under his nose. "Ugh, in your mouth. Go brush."

Embarrassed, I scurry into the bathroom and hit the Colgate hard. When I step back into the bedroom, Rose is leaning against the door with her arms crossed over her chest and a silly smile on her face. "So you and Edward, huh?"

Nervously, I tighten my ponytail and give a small nod. "Yeah. I was going to—"

"Save it, Swan. You two are beyond obvious," she teases.

"No shit," Alec confirms, not looking up from his phone, "if your boy kicks me under the lunch table again, I'm gonna kick him in the nuts."

"So you guys knew?"

Rose shrugs. "We suspected."

"Dude is not slick."

Scrunching her nose, she shakes her head at his comment. "He really isn't. Lots of awkward beating around the bush questions about you." She steps forward and gives me a lazy smirk. "It's like desperately adorable."

"Neither one of you are slick, especially you," he dips his chin at Rose, "banging Billy-Badass all these months."

Rose gives him the finger and a smile, and I look at her to confirm 'he knows' to which she gives a cheeky shrug.

"So you're not mad? Or like weirded out that I'm with your soon-to-be stepbrother?"

"Not a bit. I mean I'm not real keen on hearing about you two like, you know." She gestures crudely, poking her finger through the hole between her thumb and index finger pinched together.

"Totally," I agree, looking away and smiling in both embarrassment and relief. "I'm just so… I don't know, glad you guys know now because—"

"Oh we know," Alec interrupts before handing me his phone. "And now everyone knows."

"What are you talking about?"

"Alice and Victoria are trashing you online." Rose explains, pulling her phone out and scrolling through her feed, twisting her lips at whatever she's seeing. "Vaguebooking and subtweets. People are eating this shit up."

The anxiety building over the past couple of months settles firmly in my chest as Alec taps the screen of his iPhone in my hands. "They're killing your reputation 140 characters at a time."

It's a tweet from Alice, sent sometime late last night. _When you realize someone you thought was one of your best friends is a penny – two faced and worthless._

I grab my iPad and pull up my Twitter to see the responses, only to find that I've been blocked. I try Facebook next, only to find myself unfriended and blocked there as well. "I can't see anything."

Alec logs into his accounts for me and lets me see the shit show. Victoria posts a few seconds before I get on, and her vague status cuts like a knife. _You don't have to tell me everything. Just don't lie to me. #fuckfakefriends_

I scroll down, seeing her previous post from last night. _One of the hardest things to do in life is letting go of what you thought was real._

I'm unsure if that's for me or Edward, or both of us. What's almost as bad is when my mutual friends start liking the status and commenting their support even though they probably have no clue that I'm the liar. I'm the fake friend that she's telling to fuck-off.

The comments start to roll in on Victoria's post, and it's everything from a reassuring 'keep your chin up' to 'whose ass do I need to kick' to just general name calling. Nothing says 'good morning' like being called a 'cunt' in a comment before 10:00 AM. Facebook fights aren't nearly as fun when you're in the eye of the storm.

Rose sighs deeply, "Fucking Alice."

"Bitch," Alec mutters beside me.

"What?" I ask, feeling my chest tighten and my stomach knot. "What'd she say?"

"She tagged us." Rose looks up at Alec.

There at the top of Victoria's wall is a post from Alice. _When shit gets real and sides are taken, it's easy to see who's real and who was fakin'. We've got your back Vic— with Rosalie Platt and Alec Martin._

We're all quiet for a bit, each of us surprised but not shocked by Alice calling me out so publicly. Victoria responds immediately with a 'love you guys' and a series of emojis she's notorious for overusing.

"Shit," I mutter and toss my iPad down on the bed. "I don't want you two to get involved."

Rose's head snaps in my direction. "What?"

"This is between Victoria and me, and I guess Alice too. This isn't your fight, so just… don't."

Alec stares at me for a beat before barking out a short laugh and furiously typing on his phone. "Fuck that."

Within seconds, his tweet comes up in my feed. _Jealousy is the ugliest trait._

I hear clicking and notice Rose's fingers moving over her screen when the retweet pops up. _Co-sign RT AlecItAlecItALot Jealousy is the ugliest trait._

They each untag themselves from Alice's post, and Alec takes it a step further, posting a status of his own. Two words that say more than any Tumblr quote or vague status ever could.

_Team Bella_.

"Alec…" My voice cracks a bit. "Why would you do that?"

"Uh, because I'm dope, and I do dope shit," he says, not looking up from his phone, no doubt watching the likes and comments come in, oddly from most of the same people talking shit about me in other threads.

I sneak up on him and kiss the top of his head. "You are dope."

"Get outta here." He waves me off.

Rose's status comes up on my wall, and I smile so big when she repeats my words from that night in her room. _I'm always on your side #teambella_

I mouth the words 'thank you,' and she blows me a kiss.

"That bitch!" Our moment is ruined by Alec and his flared nostrils. "Let me see your iPad."

I toss it to him and grab his phone to see what has him worked up. It's a status on Alice's wall. _Mitches be trippin'._

"You'd think if she wanted to be insulting, she'd spell the offensive word right."

"She did." Rose quirks a brow at me before breaking it down further. "She's calling him a male bitch."

"Ahh, I see," I say, watching Alec frantically flipping through screens on his Tumblr. "Looks like dope shit brings hate quick."

Rubbing his hands together, he smiles evilly. "It's on."

Rose is smirking again. "He's been preparing for this like it's the Zombie Apocalypse or something." I furrow my brow, not clear on what she's talking about. "Social media warfare."

"Damn right," he says, pointing to Rose.

I crawl back to his side, looking over his shoulder and see all the quotes and images he's been hoarding.

It appears he has every vague, mean quote ever created.

"Now what to start with?"

"I'm partial to this one," I say pointing to the one that says '_Some people might as well just put 'Wants Attention' as their Facebook status.'_

"I like where your head's at, Swan." He attaches the quote and cleverly tags her in his post – _Paging Alice Brandon_.

Within seconds, Rose's phone lights up, and Alice's ringtone blares obnoxiously. She declines the call and goes back to monitoring the situation online when a text comes through.

"What does it say?" I ask, because I'm clearly a masochist.

"She asked if this is how it's going to be," Rose says, quickly typing her response. Alice's reply is instant, and I notice Rose's eyes narrow. "And I told her yes, but only because she made it that way."

"Well, what did she say to that?" Alec asks, still scouring his mean memes.

Rose rolls her eyes and deflects with a wave of her hand, "Nothing, just a typical dramatic Alice response."

It doesn't escape our notice that she's dodging the question, and Alec is all over it. "Which was?"

Rose looks to me with her eyes warning that this may hurt a bit. "She says she hopes Bella doesn't fuck me over too."

"Fuck her," I say, dragging the words out and throwing up two middle fingers.

We sit in relative silence apart from the near constant notification pings pouring in. As expected, we each get an influx of personal messages from 'concerned' friends. Sure some of them mean well, but most people can barely disguise the fact that 'I'm worried about you' is code for 'give me scoop'.

It only takes ten minutes for Alice to block, unfriend, and unfollow Alec after his bombardment of catty tweets, e-cards, and one very unflattering picture of her. Victoria clearly doesn't have the Facebook balls to do that yet as we're all still _technically_ friends with her, though Alec suspects we only have restricted access to her page.

If that's the case, then she wants us to see her latest status. _Lesson learned and moving on. #trustnoone_

"Oh here we go, cue the music." Alec conducts an imaginary symphony with his index finger until he notices that I'm blinking back tears. "You okay?"

"No," I whisper, rubbing beneath my eye. "I'm not okay."

Alec looks to Rose to step in. Tears are pretty high on his 'no can doozer' list, immediately following ear wax and the existence of periods.

Rose rubs my back soothingly. "This will pass, B. There's nothing you can do about it."

"Not true. She needs to respond."

"No." Rose dismisses him, shaking her finger at him. "You don't get down in the dirt with the dogs unless you want fleas."

Alec smiles condescendingly and tugs on a lock of Rose's hair. "Aww. That turn the other cheek bullshit is really adorable, Hannah Montana. But Bella needs to let her mean girl show. Otherwise she looks guilty."

"No she—"

"He's right," I say, speaking over her. "You guys can't fight my battles for me."

"Truth Ruth." Alec claps twice and goes back to his Tumblr. "Now let's look at my haterade file. Should we do 'haters to the left' or the standard 'haters gonna hate', or ooh, how about 'don't feed the drama llama.' " He looks ridiculously excited tapping his screen. "I like that one."

"Uh, no."

"Save the drama for a llama?"

"It'll just make things worse." Rose warns in a sing-songy voice.

Renee says that 'silence is the best answer to stupid,' and while I think there's some truth to that, I can't sit back and let them tear me down. I scroll through tumblr, looking for a profound comeback, but nothing quite sums up my feelings on it.

"Any luck?" Alec asks, leaning over to look at my screen.

"No. I can't figure out what to say. It just is what it is, I guess."

He gives me a wink. "There you go."

"It is what it is? You think?"

I see Rose nodding in my periphery. "Yeah, that pretty much sums it up unless you want to do 'sorry, not sorry.'"

I shrug one arm as I type it out and hit post. "I am sorry. I feel bad how it all went down, like I should've been the one to tell her, you know?"

"Shoulda, coulda, woulda," Alec says, exchanging a look with Rose, "but what can ya do?"

Zee's words come to mind. _Own it_. "I'm gonna go talk to her."

"Umm," Rose drags the word out, her hand stilling on my shoulder. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

But I'm already up, throwing on a bra and some pants before pulling my hoodie over my head.

"I think it's a great idea," Alec says with a smile, jiggling his keys in his pocket. "I'll drive you over."

"I'll walk."

"But who's going to record the fist fight for YouTube?" Arching my brow, I give him a look for bringing up a very distinct possibility. "Too soon?"

"Too soon," Rose and I say in unison.

I walk them to his car, thanking them profusely for everything.

"Good luck," Rose whispers, pulling me in for a hug. "Call me later."

Alec gives me a wave as he backs out of the driveway and yells from the street. "Bob and weave, girl."

* * *

I run up her porch stairs and ring the bell before I lose my nerve.

"Just a minute," she calls from inside, and I hear the sound of her footsteps bounding down the hallway.

I step back as the latch clicks and the door opens. Her puffy eyes widen, and she looks as though she immediately regrets her decision to answer, but it doesn't take long for her initial surprise to morph into a scowl. "Go away."

"Wait," I say, catching the door just before she slams it in my face. "I just need to talk to you for a second."

"To say what?" She leans against the frame, crossing her arms over her chest as she sneers. "What could you possibly have to say to me?"

"I'm sorry. I swear it was never my intention –"

"It wasn't your intention?" Her head tilts condescendingly. "That's interesting, because it felt intentional."

"It wasn't, I –"

"You what? You didn't mean to sneak around? Just a happy coincidence then?"

"No, I–"

"And now you're sorry?"

"Yes, I'm–"

"Sorry because you got caught? Or sorry because everyone knows that you're shady as shit?" Her voice drops. "I don't think you're sorry at all. I think you're probably pretty fucking pleased with yourself. What kind of friend does that? Sneaking around, poaching the one guy I actually–"

"The _one_ guy?" Now I'm pissed. "Which guy is that? Because from what I could tell, James was the one guy all along."

"We're done here," she says, moving to shut the door again.

"Hold on, just let me finish real quick." I put my hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I should've told you–"

"Yeah, you should've, but you didn't and so here we are. I'm humiliated and you're… sorry." Closing her eyes, she rubs her temples. "I just don't get it. Why did you have to go after _him_? Why _him_?"

"I didn't go after him. We hit it off, got to know each other as friends and it turned into something more."

"But you knew I liked him. You knowingly made the choice to go after someone I was interested in."

"I did," I say with a nod and she nearly smiles at my admission of guilt. "But he made a choice too… and he chose me."

"Anything else you need to say?" she asks through clenched teeth.

"No." I shrug apologetically. "I just wish things were different between you and me."

"Well maybe if you had told me in the first place, they would be."

"Would they though?" I give her a skeptical look, wondering if she would've given us her blessing had I told her after the bonfire. We both know it's a lie, but she surprises me by answering with a truth.

"I guess we'll never know."

And with that she shuts the door.

* * *

On the walk home, I scroll through all the messages and comments on the threads I can still see. Lots of people are either still in the dark or are playing both sides of the fence, kissing Victoria's ass in one thread while hashtagging Team Bella in another.

I wonder if most of them know why this is all going down in the first place or if they're just piecing things together and making up the story as they go. Or are Victoria and Alice actually telling people what went down, painting me as the poacher and Edward as the unsuspecting prey?

A part of me wants to say nothing more than what I've already said, let them assume what they want, because I know the truth. But a bigger part of me, the one that wants to shout the truth from the rooftops says 'fuck it'. They're going to judge me anyway.

I call Edward, hoping he's not still at mass and thankfully, he answers on the first ring.

"Sweets?"

"Hey."

"You okay? Garrett sent me a text sayin' people were giving you shit."

"Not really. I'm on my way home from talking to Victoria."

"How'd that go?"

"Not well."

"You want me to come get you?"

"I'm not too far away, I'll come over."

"See you in a bit."

"Hey, do me a favor real quick."

"What's that?"

I push send on my app. "Confirm my request and let's make it official."

I hear him chuckle. "You got it, Sweets."

Seconds later the status comes up on my feed.

_Bella Swan is in a relationship with Edward Cullen.  
_

* * *

"Bella." Esme smiles though she looks surprised as she answers the door.

"Hey Esme."

"Rose actually isn't here right now. She's out with Alec I think."

I open my mouth to respond, but Edward cuts in, reaching around her to grab my hand. "She's here for me."

I wave awkwardly as I pass her, and we barely make it to the top of the stairs when we hear the numbers dialed over speakerphone, my mother's greeting, and Esme's excited squeal. "Rennnnneeeee!"

And now we're official…

* * *

**A/N: Quick shout out to luvmi4alwyz for the one-liner you gave me – loved it, pal.**

***Carrie ZM puts on her lace, fingerless gloves and Lay dons her cone bra* We're channeling the Material Girl today pals because it's time to give it up to those folks who are popping their fanfic cherry. My experience as a first-time writer in this fandom was fantastic, and I'd love it if you all will help me pay it forward by checking out our **_**Like a Virgin**_** fic recs.**

_**Dank**_** by nadiak - ****She wants a thrill and she finds it in the bad boy from the dangerous side of the tracks. Watch them both intertwine themselves into worlds they never even belonged in. Learning the best lesson there is. We're all different but yet the same.**

_**Metamophosis**_** by perpetually - ****Two worlds clash like the collision of two nebulae in the galaxy. When they see each other, they are transformed. {Short chapters and patience}**

_**Starcrossed **_**by PoeticSolace - Time can't erase it. No matter how much she wanted the feelings to disappear. They linger on. These two are starcrossed.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – Half the fun is falling  
__#fallhard_

_And now we're official._

Everything is different now.

Sure, we're still linked legs under the lunch table and secret smiles, but now we're more. For as long as I can remember, high school has always been countless hours of boredom with small bursts of anything remotely resembling excitement.

Now I can barely contain myself when I hear his Jeep pull into my driveway each morning or hide the giddy smile when he presses a kiss to my temple each time we meet at our shared locker. We try not to be _that_ couple, you know the ones with matching hickeys and their tongues down each other's throats all the time. For the most part we keep it chaste, minus a few mad hot make out sessions against the stacks in the back of the school library. But for all the butterflies, there's still bullshit.

Whispers everywhere I go. Conversations that are too loud not to be heard referring to someone being a bitch and some poor guy who doesn't know he's slumming it. It's not hard to tell they're referring to me with Victoria's eye rolls, Alice's evil grin and the high-pitched cackling of our replacements, Chelsea and Lauren.

They're always careful not to say anything while Edward's within ear shot. As a matter of fact, they're all sweetness and light to him, saying 'hi' in the halls as if I'm not even there. I just smile brightly, enjoying the security of his arm draped protectively over my shoulders. He barely acknowledges them, but he knows it gets to me.

"Just ignore them," he whispers into my hair as we head to study hall.

"I wish I could."

"Let's talk about more important things."

"Such as?"

He smirks and pulls out the hall pass pad. "You up for starting Thanksgiving vacation a little early, Sweets?"

* * *

The moment I hear the latch of his bedroom door click, it's on. Our backpacks and coats hit the floor, and our shoes go flying as he backs me up to his bed, kissing me crazy.

"Did you lock it?" I pant against his lips while his hand slips beneath the hem of my shirt, pulling it off quickly.

"Yeah."

My fingers fumble over his shirt buttons, desperately trying to undo them without tearing the front of his shirt. Once they're unfastened, I yank it over his shoulders and down his arms while he works at unclasping and removing my bra. His shirt hits the floor just as the back of my knees hit the mattress and he lowers me gently, his lips hovering at my throat.

"Let's take your pants off, Sweets," he murmurs into my neck before placing a loud, open-mouth kiss against my skin. I freeze as his hand slides down my body popping open the button to my jeans and tugging at my zipper before pulling them off slowly. His eyes are locked on mine as he skims his chin and lips down the center of my stomach, pressing a tiny kiss just above my navel. "Lemme make you feel good."

I scoot back on the bed, watching him smirk lazily as he tosses my jeans behind him. The mattress creaks when he kneels beside me. He cups my face and kisses me deeply, and I moan into his mouth when I feel his fingertips on the sensitive skin of my inner thigh.

"Can I?" he asks, his hand lingering just above the cotton waistband.

My voice shakes with nervous anticipation. "Yes."

His fingers dip beneath the material just as he wraps his lips around my nipple. A shiver rips through me, and I feel my body heat from head to toe, overcome by the sensations of the rough sucking above and the soft stroking below.

I whimper when his hand presses against me, sliding and circling. My legs spread wider, and I feel my hips moving, grinding against his palm when his finger slips inside.

"Oh God." His teeth scrape my nipple, and I roughly grip his hair, clutching him to my chest. "That feels so good."

Our eyes meet again as he adds another finger and he smiles when I inhale sharply. He flattens his tongue and makes a show of lapping at my chest until my nipple is almost painfully hard. I bite my lip as we watch him move in and out of me, faster and faster.

"Fuck," he grits out against my other breast before latching onto the skin and sucking deeply. "You close?"

"I think so," I pant, barely able to control my breathing or the steady roll of my hips.

I feel him hot and hard against my leg and I reach down, palming him over his jeans. He grunts and thrusts into my hand. "Come on, Sweets," he says, adding another finger… and then another, causing me to freeze.

I wince and squeeze my thighs together, trapping his hand. A small hiss escapes my lips, and it's not from pleasure.

"You okay?"

"Uh, yeah." I feign nonchalance, but the UFC leg-lock I have on his hand may have given me away.

Although we're both still panting and I'm damn near breathless, the moment is gone. We lie back on the bed and stare at the ceiling for a long time. It's the first awkward silence we've had since getting together a month ago.

"Sweets?"

"Hmm?"

He rolls over and props his head on his hand. "Are you a virgin?"

"No," I say, but it comes out sounding like a question.

His brow furrows. "You sure?"

I snort. "I swear I'm not."

I give him a quick overview of my deflowering, all one inch and twelve seconds of it. He works hard not to smile and even harder not to laugh. "So, yeah… just the tip did the trick." I shrug. "What about you?"

His eyes widen, clearly taken aback my impromptu opening of the 'Where's your dick been' files.

"Nah. I'm not a virgin."

Now he just looks uncomfortable which makes me nervous. _Is he uneasy because he's had so much more experience than me, or was his first time as lame as mine?_ My mind starts to wander, and I consider checking his bedposts for notches. "O-kay…"

"Okay what?"

"Okay, I'm kind of curious now."

"Curious about what?"

"Like are you…"

"Am I what?"

"I don't know – super experienced or whatever." I nervously bite at my thumbnail. "Like have you been with a ton of girls or something?"

Chuckling, he shakes his head. "Not a ton, just two."

"Oh," I say, genuinely surprised. I try to keep the crazy questions I want to ask from spilling out of my mouth, but I can't. "Were you serious with them? Like, did you leave one of them behind when you moved out here?"

He laughs even harder. "No, nothing like that. One was a friend of a friend that I met at a party."

"So it was a onetime thing?"

"Not necessarily, but it wasn't serious by any means."

His casual shrug irks me. "What about the other one?"

"The other was someone I worked with the summer before my junior year."

"She worked in your dad's office?"

"No, that was the summer I worked at Haunted Trails. I thought it'd be fun, not cleaning up puke and telling punk-ass kids to quit loitering."

"So she was your girlfriend?"

"I guess."

"Oh," I say, because I have no idea how to respond to that.

"It's different though." He motions between us. "With us, I mean."

"How?" I ask, resting my chin on his chest.

"I don't know. It just is. You met my dad. I told my friends back home about you." He runs a finger down my cheek. "You're important to me and—"

We hear the garage door open, and we jump up and scramble around the room, trying to get dressed. The front door slams, and we hear loud footsteps throughout the house.

"What the hell is this?" Esme screeches. "I've got to hear from Mrs. King that you dumped her boy for some fisherman? What are you thinking?"

"His name is Emmett," Rose bites back. "And yes, I dumped her son for him."

"What's going on?" Edward whispers, and I promptly shush him, pressing my ear to the door.

"Call him and end it. I will NOT have you—"

"I won't!" Rose screams, stomping up the stairs followed closely by Esme.

I hear the front door swing open and shut. "Es?" Carlisle calls.

"Up here."

"I got your text, what's going—"

"Rose has a boyfriend," Esme snips.

"Well that's great," Carlisle says, sounding like he's reached the top of the stairs as well. "Is he coming over for Thanksgiving?"

"NO!" Esme shouts far more loudly than Rose's emphatic 'yes'.

"All right then, how 'bout Saturday night? I've got these great Polish sausages we can make. My guy back—"

Edward opens the door a crack, and we take a quick peek, only to see Esme with her eyes closed and her fingertips at her temples.

"It's sausage." She claps her hands with each syllable as she repeats. "Sau-sage. Not sahhhsage." Carlisle's eyes widen when she rips on his accent. "If you can't pronounce it correctly, you don't get to jump in and play parent."

"Whoa there," Carlisle says, holding his hands up in surrender just as Rose slams the door.

Edward jerks his chin at me and whispers. "What's wrong with the way he says 'sah-sage'?"

I shake my head and place a finger over my lips.

"Get back out here!" Esme pounds on her door, before turning back to Carlisle. "See what you did?"

"I won't!" Rose screams. "I'm eighteen and you can't tell me what to do. I love him and he loves me, and if you don't like it then that's too bad."

Esme slams her hand against the door and jiggles the door knob. "You have no idea what you're saying, and you're making a huge mistake, young lady. That boy is nothing but a piece of trash."

"You don't know him!" Rose's voice breaks.

"I don't have to, they're all the same."

"Es," Carlisle says quietly, pulling at her sleeve.

She shakes him off. "Boys like him only want one thing, and when they get it they leave you with—"

"Es," Carlisle says much firmer this time, turning her to face him as his voice drops. "You're about to say some things that you won't be able to take back. Now let's go downstairs, and calm down before you say something you regret, yeah?"

Esme relents and they head down the stairs.

"I'm gonna go talk to her," I tell Edward, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Are you comin' back later?" he asks, pulling me to him.

"Mmm hmm."

He gives me one last loud smooch and grabs a handful of my ass. "Good."

I tiptoe down the hall, smiling when I hear him knock twice on the wall.

"Rose," I whisper yell and tap softly on her door. "It's me."

She unlocks the door and pulls it open. "Hey."

"Hey." I slip inside and close it behind me. "You okay?" She shrugs, before flopping on her bed. "How'd Mrs. King find out?"

"I ditched last period and went to hang out with him at the shop. Mrs. King saw us kissing when she pulled in." She shrugs. "I'm kind of glad my mom knows. Sneaking around is exhausting."

I nod and plop down next to her. "So is hiding it." The corner of her mouth turns up into a small smile. "Or so I've heard."

We're quiet for a few minutes, and I'm a bit surprised at how eerily calm she is. "She's never going to accept him, you know."

"You don't know that."

"Did you hear her? She's got it in her head that I'm going to be some dumb girl he fucks and ducks."

"Rose—"

"It's true. She was about to say that he was going to ruin my life." The 'like my dad ruined hers' is implied, and I can see her eyes water. "She doesn't trust me."

"She does," I say, rubbing her arm. "She's just trying to protect you."

"I'd rather she didn't."

Two sharp knocks sound at the door, and Carlisle calls out, "Rose, it's me. Can I come in?"

She clears her throat. "Yeah."

He opens the door and steps into the room. "Your ma, uh," he stutters a bit. "She loves you, you know. She just gets…" He waves his hand around his head before rubbing the back of his neck. "All worked up. I don't know. But bring your young man over Saturday night."

Rose sits up and smiles.

"Tell him to dress nice and bring her flowers. No carnations or shit like that. Have him get her thoughtful flowers. Like daisies or tulips or whatever's in season, but nothin' generic. If you need, I've got—"

"You got a guy he could use?"

He smirks when he realizes she's joking and walks out of the room but not before muttering under his breath, "Smartass."

"Hey Carlisle," she calls him back, and his head pops out from behind the door. "Thanks."

"Anytime, hun."

* * *

When I walk back into Edward's room, he's leaning back in his desk chair, legs stretched and playing his Xbox. "How'd that go?"

"Better than expected. Guess who's coming to dinner?"

"Oh yeah?" He tosses his controller on the desk and pulls me into his lap. "That'll be fun."

"Mmm hmm." It's all I'm able to get out before his mouth covers mine.

We pick up where we left off. His hands roam while our tongues explore and tangle until I feel him tugging on the button of my jeans.

"Can you keep quiet, Sweets?" he whispers into my neck, pulling the zipper down slowly.

I close my eyes and nod when he slips his hand inside again. He strokes me gently, rubbing and circling my clit until I've got my hand over the top of his pushing him to press harder and encouraging him to go lower, deeper.

"More," I beg into his open mouth.

He groans and shoves his hand further down my pants, sliding his fingers in roughly. "Like that?"

"Yesssss." I grip the back of his neck, steadying myself as he furiously pumps in and out.

"Almost there?" he asks several minutes later in a strained voice.

"Almost," I gasp for air, rocking into his touch.

He continues to work me over like a madman, frantically fucking me with his fingers to make sure I get there quickly and quietly.

And then he gets me there.

And then I'm gone.

* * *

"He's here," Rose squeals, handing me the rest of the plates to put around the table and rushing out the door.

I watch her out the window, jumping into his arms and kissing him passionately. He's larger than I remember, and his ink is barely visible under the button-down shirt he's wearing.

"Jesus," Carlisle mutters from the doorway. "That kid's huge."

"He's whipped, too," Edward adds, jerking his chin at Emmett who opens his passenger side door and hands a bouquet of peonies to her before pulling out another for Esme.

"What?" I ask disbelievingly. "He's not whipped. He's a gentleman."

Edward gives me a lazy smirk. "You want flowers, Sweets?"

"They're nice." I shrug, not wanting to seem like I expect them or anything.

"I thought you'd like more practical gifts." He walks over and wraps his arms around me from behind as I set the table. "Like car washes or something."

"I don't have a car."

"Stuffed animals?"

"Eww, no. Cheesy and they collect dust."

"See, you're practical." He pecks my cheek and swats my ass.

We hear the screen door creak, and Carlisle greets Emmett with a manly handshake and a pat to his bicep. We're up next. Edward does the chin nod thing, opting out of the bro pat, while I wave awkwardly and blush when Rose introduces me as 'her Bella.'

"It's great to meet you," he says tipping his head. "Finally, huh?" Rose pokes him in the ribs links her arm through his. "This one talks about you all the time."

"Es," Carlisle yells in the direction of the kitchen. "Come on out and meet Emmett."

Esme approaches tentatively, and I see her taking all of him in. Her eyes linger on the ink peeking out from beneath his shirt sleeve and the snake bite piercing below the center of his lip.

He hands her a bouquet of flowers and extends his hand, offering her a warm smile, and I finally see the dimples that Rose is always going on about. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Platt. I'm Emmett McCarty."

His hand hangs there for a moment, and I see Carlisle give her a warning look from behind Rose.

She rearranges her features and puts on her happy voice. "Call me Esme."

* * *

Dinner is an awkward affair. Esme seats us girls on one side and boys on the other. Edward and I sit across from each other with Carlisle in between us at the head of the table, while Esme sits at the other end between the lovers and drains her bottle of wine.

Carlisle works overtime, keeping the conversation going which is difficult since Emmett isn't a talker.

The boys discuss man stuff for a while, like sports and cars and who will win the Super Bowl this year. I suspect Emmett loses a point in Carlisle's book when he says Seattle and not the Bears. Maybe Edward's too.

"So you fish?" Esme broaches the sensitive topic as Rose gets dessert together in the kitchen.

Emmett nods, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "Yes ma'am."

He loses another point calling Esme 'ma'am'. Manners or not, no woman wants to be called ma'am.

"How long are you typically gone?"

He tilts his head back and forth. "Sometimes days, sometimes weeks."

"Hmm." She takes a sip of her wine, looking at Carlisle who's got a brow raised in her direction.

"But it's a good way to make money," Emmett adds, folding his hands in his lap and giving Esme a small smile. "And I need money to go to school so…"

"Exactly," Carlisle says, jabbing his finger in Emmett's direction. "That's great. You lookin' at a two year degree in mechanics?"

"Automotive Engineering," Rose corrects, bringing dessert to the table.

"Automotive Engineering," Carlisle repeats, toasting Esme slightly before taking a sip of his beer.

I notice Edward looking at me from across the table. His lip turns up at the side, and he slips lower in his seat.

"Uh yeah, I start classes in January." Emmett adds, looking back and forth between Carlisle and Esme. "I figure it will be good to learn a trade."

Carlisle looks at Edward oddly then back to Emmett. "Definitely, can't go wrong with a trade." He looks to Edward again, giving him a dirty look before turning back to Esme. "Just like you Es."

"Yep. Can't go wrong with a trade," Esme deadpans.

Edward catches my eye and wags his brows. I must be missing something so I mouth the word 'what'.

I hear feet scuffling beneath the table, and Carlisle speaking through clenched teeth. "Son, quit kicking me."

And that pretty much confirms it. My boy is truly not slick.

* * *

Carlisle and Edward retire to the family room to watch TV and scratch their balls while Rose and I do the dishes. Well, I do the dishes; Rose just holds a towel and sneaks back and forth from the sink to the doorway, trying to listen to Emmett and Esme talking in the next room.

"Eek, I heard her laughing in there. Do you think she likes him?" Rose asks and scoots up on the counter but doesn't wait for me to answer. "I mean she has to like him, he's amazing, right? You like him don't you?"

"Yeah, he's—"

"Good because he was so nervous to meet you guys." Her mind seems to be going 100 miles per hour. "Do you think she'll let me bring him to the wedding?"

I open my mouth to speak but Edward interrupts us, grabbing the dish towel from Rose and jerks his thumb. "Go save your boy in there."

She hops off the counter so fast; there may as well be a dust cloud at her heels.

"So this feels familiar," I say, rinsing a plate and handing it to him.

He chuckles. "It does."

"I can't believe it's almost December."

"Believe it."

"Only a month until the wedding."

"I know. She sent the invites out yesterday."

"Have you written your speech yet?"

He shakes his head. "Nah, not yet."

"You better hurry up. It'll be here before you know it."

"I know it." He nudges me. "But first I gotta find a date."

I laugh. "Oh, I know. Me too."

"How 'bout it, Sweets? You up for bein' my plus one?"

"Hmm, I don't know." I tap my finger on my lips.

He smirks and throws the towel over his shoulder, pulling me close to whisper in my ear. "You need me to sell you on it?" He nuzzles my neck, skimming his lips up and down. "We can drink." Kiss. "And dance." Another kiss. "Then ring in the New Year together." He tilts my chin and pecks my lips. "Just you and me?"

Something about the way he says 'just you and me' makes me think he's talking about more than just a New Year's kiss. But I want it. I want more of everything with him.

I wrap my arms around his neck and smile. "Yeah. You and me."

* * *

**A/N: Shout out and many thanks to the Nic the FicWhisperer for all the gifspiration - you're killing me softly, pal!**

**So, just a quick FYI – I'm being magically whisked away to Disney World next week. Mr. Lay has kindly requested that I join him and our kids on vacation… but leave my laptop at home. I won't be posting next week, however I will pick up when I get back. I'm terribly sorry, but hopefully I'll make up for it next post. *hides behind Carrie ZM***

**But while I'm footloose and fandom free at the happiest place on earth - we have a couple of awesome fics for you to check out if you haven't already. Time to let it WIP...**

_**Sea Salt**_** by Sparrownotes24 -*Carrie ZM rubs in the SPF 50* ****Only four chapters in, but this fic by the lovely Sparrownotes24 has me intrigued - make sure to get on this one early, pals.**

_**Deep in the Heart of Me**_** by Counselor - *Lay clutches her heart* Oh Tonio, Tonio - wherefore art thou Tonio? Counselor is back and I couldn't be happier. Tonio and Sobe are already owning me. Do yourself a favor, peeps - Keep Calm and Read Counselor**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all in TWO Thursdays.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.**

* * *

_Girl Code – Timing is everything  
__#makeitcount_

"_You and me."_

The next few weeks are insane with finals and all of the holiday preparation; Edward and I hardly see each other with the crazy hours I'm working at the salon. It's our busiest time of year with everyone needing to get their last minute holiday trims and colors. Now that Christmas has passed and with the wedding just days away, the stress at the salon is at a fever pitch. This is evident when Esme snaps after-hours, pulling the door shut a little harder than necessary and turning the lock with a loud satisfying click.

"What the fuck is wrong with people these days?" she asks condescendingly, tapping each of her temples. "That crazy bitch just showed me a picture of Victoria Beckham and said she wanted an asymmetrical bob. I gave her an asymmetrical bob, and do you know what she said to me?"

It's total silence until Zee bites. "What'd she say?"

"She got all huffy and goes 'I don't look like the picture.'" Esme's eyes bug out as if to say 'can you believe it.' "So I patted her head and said 'No you don't, sweetie – but your hair does.'"

"Truth," Zee shouts as Esme clutches her chest.

"I'm a hair stylist, not a magician." She showcases the room with a wave of her hand. "And this is a salon, not fucking Hogwarts."

"Let the church say AMEN!" Zee throws her hands up.

"AMEN!" we yell in unison, while Alec shakes his hands over his head like he feels the spirit.

Esme lowers her voice and starts flipping through her appointment book angrily. "If I would've known she wanted that kind of transformation, I'd have given her an application to _The Swan_." She nods at the thought.

Alec and I head back to the storeroom to fold towels.

"I can't remember the last time I've seen Esme go off about a client," I say, pulling the towels out of the dryer.

He nods. "I know, but it's not just her, all of them are acting cray. It's almost as bad as that time they all did Phase 1 of the Atkins diet together."

"Oh my God, I forgot about that." How could I forget about that? It's the only time I ever saw my mom and Esme fight. That's what happens when you take carbs away from crazy women, though. Shit gets real.

"So what's new? How are you and Edward?"

"We're… good." His brow rises in question. "I mean we're fine. It's just we like had a weird moment or something the other night."

"This ought to be good."

"What ought to be good?" Rose comes in and scoots up on the dryer.

"Edward got weird on Bella the other day."

"Eww," she says, making a disgusted face.

"Not like that." I make a face right back at her. "Just… nevermind."

"No, no, it's fine," she reassures me, "I just don't want to hear about him like, asking you to take a shit on his chest or anything." Alec gags and I smack her with a towel while she laughs her ass off. "What? That's where my head goes when you say 'weird.'"

I shudder at the thought. "You're disgusting."

"Obviously. So what happened?"

"Well the other night we were playing Mario Kart."

"With Liam?" Rose can't contain her eye roll for Edward's best friend from home who's visiting this week for the wedding. Edward and Carlisle call him 'Link' because they think he's missing that link between his brain and his mouth that tells him to not say inappropriate shit.

"He was in the bathroom at the time, but anyway…" The memory plays in my head as I tell the story until my words and the events are a blur, and it's like I'm right back there in his room.

Edward is pumping his fist, celebrating his one victory over me after I beat him five times consecutively.

"Say it!" He wraps his arm around me and ruffles my hair. "Say 'I'm the best.'"

"I'm the best," I repeat and giggle when he starts tickling me mercilessly.

"Say it!"

He has me laughing so hard I'm going to pee so I give in. "Fine! You're the best!"

"And don't you forget it." He pecks my cheek and lets me up.

"You're awful," I pant, straightening my clothes.

"I am, but you love me."

"I do."

Alec's gasp and Rose's widened eyes bring me back to the present so I finish the story with the way it's been between us for the past few days.

"And then it was crickets."

"He didn't say anything?" Rose asks and I shake my head in the negative. "Oh girl…"

"I know, right? I'm sitting there all mortified, then Liam comes back, and I high-tailed it out of there."

Alec jumps in. "Well have you talked to him since?"

"Yeah, we're fine it's just kind of… awkward."

"And Liam's there and the family and all the wedding stuff going on." Rose waves her hand. "I'm sure you guys are totally fine."

I rub my thumb and forefinger over the small sapphire pendant necklace he gave me for Christmas. "Yeah, you're probably right."

* * *

Two days later, it's New Year's Eve and things still feel off. I try to tell myself that I'm just crazy, and he's more than likely distracted with Liam and his relatives here and probably nervous about the speech he has to give tonight. He looks relaxed across the ballroom when I see him, leaning against the bar laughing with his uncles over drinks.

"I just talked to Rose. They're about to start," Alec says, taking his seat next to me at our table and handing me my drink.

"Did you go up there?" He nods, pouring some fun into our glasses from his flask. "How'd they look?"

"Like David's Bridal threw up on them." I smack his arm. "What? You know they look great, why do you even ask?" He looks to Emmett. "You want a shot of this big guy?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Suit yourself."

Emmett smiles and clicks his tongue piercing against the back of his teeth.

"Is that what Rose got you for Christmas?" I ask, pointing at my tongue before taking a sip of my drink.

"Yeah." He sticks out his tongue far enough that we can see the ball. "She's getting hers done next week."

"Sounds like the gift that keeps on giving, huh?" Liam jumps in, disgustingly darting his tongue in and out of his mouth and waggling his eyebrows.

I don't know which burns worse, the rum or the Coke as it comes out of my nose and sprays all over my place setting.

"Jesus Christ, pull yourself together girl." Alec slaps me on the back as I continue to laugh and cough and choke.

"Sa-rry 'bout that, hun." Liam grabs the napkin from the empty place setting next to him. "Here you go... for your trouble."

Thankfully, _Canon in D_ starts up and Carlisle and Edward take their place at the makeshift altar with Judge Jenks. Rose comes in first, giving Emmett a wink as she passes. Then Esme enters, looking absolutely radiant. Behind her, my mother is snot-sobbing at the door, watching her best friend walk down the aisle.

Fifteen minutes later, vows and rings are exchanged, as well as a chaste church-tongue kiss. Esme is officially a Cullen, and the bar is open. Rose delivers a tear-filled speech to her mother and new stepfather that even makes hard-ass Charlie Swan's mustache twitch and his eyes water. We all raise our glasses and then it's Edward's turn.

I mouth the words 'good luck' to him as he stands and give him two enthusiastic thumbs up for good measure. There's feedback from the microphone as he puts it near his mouth, and he laughs nervously when Liam and Alec yell 'hot mic' in unison.

"So, uh." He stutters and scratches his temple before running his hand nervously through his hair. "When I was in second grade, I thought I'd found the perfect woman for my dad. She was nice and funny and would always tell me I was her favorite." He shoves his hand in his pocket and rocks back and forth on his feet, grinning from ear to ear at his father. "Sister Mary Marjorie."

"Parent-teacher conferences got real weird that year. Dad came home and had to explain that she was already married to the Lord and also old enough to be his mother. But that's not the point of this story. The point is I learned a valuable lesson that day about timing. My dad told me that timing is everything and when he's meant to find someone, he will. I remember him reassuring me she was out there."

Edward tips his head to Esme. "And she was definitely out there." I hear the girls from the salon give him a big 'aww.' "Like way out there, over two-thousand-miles-away out there. But... when you know, you know." The corner of his mouth turns up and he shrugs one shoulder, glancing at me for a moment then back to Carlisle and Esme. "And when my dad came home from Vegas raving about Es, I think he knew. When I'd hear him up all hours of the night laughin' with her over Skype, I'm pretty sure he knew then, too. But it's when he took me to Morton's and buttered me up with a Porterhouse, askin' me how I felt about maybe movin' out here… that's when _I_ finally knew."

"Now, I gotta admit," he says, placing a hand over his heart, "at the time, I remember thinkin' how the timing wasn't that great. But seein' them together… it's obvious she's perfect for him." Carlisle smiles and kisses Esme's hand. "And he's happier than I've ever seen him. So as far I'm concerned, that makes the timing just right."

"So please join me in a toast to my dad and Es." He raises his glass. "All the best to you both and many years of happiness ahead. Cheers."

Dinner's an interesting affair as Liam tells me all the prospects that Edward has for college. I remember Edward telling me he played baseball, and I've seen the shelf of trophies to prove it, but I was not aware that he's good enough to be scouted by college recruiters. Apparently his old baseball coach from home has some contacts who are interested back in Chicago.

"What? He didn't mention that?"

I shake my head and pick at my potato. "Not in so many words. He just said he played and was decent."

Liam barks out a laugh but then must notice my discomfort and opts to change the subject. "But you're doing the hair school thing, right?" he asks, twirling his finger above his head. "With Edward's fine ass sister." He eyes Emmett. "No offense big guy."

Emmett just smirks and stabs at his steak. It's somehow friendly and menacing, but it does the trick because shortly thereafter Liam stands and makes a beeline to the bar.

We watch Carlisle and Esme cut the cake and make a show of sucking the frosting off each other's lips for the photographer.

"Gross," Alec says, pushing away from the table.

"Stop, they're cute." Rose pats his head as she passes him before hopping into Em's lap. "And they're disgustingly happy."

"And speaking of disgusting." He motions towards Rose who has Emmett's new piercing halfway down her throat.

I'm about to comment on the offensive public display of affection myself when I feel Edward's lips on my cheek briefly and hear him knock twice on the table. But then he's gone, reconvening with his uncles and Liam at the bar.

We all clap and cheer when the opening notes to Elvis' _Can't Help Falling in Love_ sounds over the speakers, and the happy couple hit the dance floor.

"Now that's a suave motherfucker right there," Alec says, pointing to Carlisle who's gracefully leading Esme around the dance floor. "Your boy could never be that smooth."

The dancing all goes downhill from there when my mom and the girls get out there and do their thing. Naturally, Alec records the fuckery for future blackmail needs and possible prize money.

"Dear God, B. What if that's us someday?"

"I'm pretty sure that's how I look dancing _any_ given day."

"You're right, you're horrible." He takes a swig and tips his glass in their direction. "But really, do you just wake up one day and you're old and lame?"

"They're not lame, Alec. They just don't give a fuck." I gesture to my mom and Tanya who are bumping butts in time with the music. "Not a single one, obviously."

He eventually gets me out there on the floor and from there the night becomes a blur of singing _Shout_, doing _The Cupid Shuffle,_ and Carlisle playing his leg like a guitar when the DJ finally slows it down for us.

I hear Zee yell 'Smok-ay' as she spins into her husband Marcus's arms, and they start to sing to each other.

"Can I get a dance, Sweets?" Edward asks, pulling me close.

I lean into him, breathing in his smell and the liquor on his breath as we sway. I swear once my dad left to go to work, Edward, Alec, and Liam hit the bar hard. He hums softly with Smokey and squeezes my hand a bit while everyone around us sings the chorus to _You've Really Got a Hold on Me_.

"You did really great up there," I say into his chest.

"You think?"

I smile. "I do."

We dance in uncomfortable silence for the rest of the song until another starts up. I fully expect him to head back to the bar with his friend, but he tightens his hold and puts his lips at my ear.

"Are we okay, Sweets?"

_I don't know_. "Mmm hmm."

"You sure? Because I think I might have messed up."

"Not at all. We're good," I reassure him because I'm not sure I can stomach another awkward encounter like the night of the unreturned accidental love declaration. He doesn't look convinced, so I lean up on my tiptoes and kiss his chin. "Stop worrying."

"All right," he says as the corner of his mouth turns up in a half smile.

We spend the next couple hours dancing and laughing and sneaking drinks. A few minutes before midnight, the entire right side of the room lights up as fireworks burst in the sky over the water and Esme squeals at Carlisle's surprise for her. Nearly everyone rushes over to the windows to see the show, but we just stand there on the dance floor watching from afar.

He wraps his arms around me from behind and presses his cheek to mine. "You love me, Bella?"

I keep my eyes forward and pull my teeth over my bottom lip, nodding slowly. "I do."

His lips skim my jaw and he exhales deeply. "Me too."

I cup his cheek in my hand, listening to the guests 'ooh and ahh' at each big boom until the DJ begins the countdown to the New Year.

I turn to face him and he pulls me close, burying his hand in my hair. Our eyes lock as he lowers his face to mine, smiling widely.

"Love you," he whispers, rubbing his thumb across my cheek and I mouth the same words back just as our lips meet.

We ring in the New Year with the slowest, sweetest kiss while our friends and family cheer and mumble their way through _Auld Lang Syne_. When he pulls away, I'm breathless and flushed head to toe from liquor and love.

* * *

The party moves to Carlisle and Esme's place and goes until the wee hours of the morning. Sadly, the older crowd puts us to shame as they're still going strong, while we get ready for bed.

I'm brushing my teeth when I notice Edward and Liam come up the stairs. Liam heads right for the bedroom, while Edward just stops and stares for a moment. He gives me a smirk, running his fingers over his jaw and his thumb across his chin before slowly making his way to me in the bathroom.

He looks deliciously rumpled with his tuxedo jacket slung over his shoulder, loosened tie, shirt collar unbuttoned, and his hair messier than usual. And then there's me, leering like a pervert and wiping Colgate from the corners of my mouth.

Closing the door behind him, he locks it before he lies his jacket down on the vanity. Shutting the lights off, he turns to me and places a finger over his lips.

"Shhh."

The streetlight from the window illuminates his face in the mirror when he stands behind me, and I watch him running his hands down the too big and now thread bare v-neck I stole from him. Smirking, he snakes his hands under the hem and lifts it just above my belly button. "No shorts, Sweets?" I shake my head slowly, grinning as his tongue sweeps over his top lip, his eyes fully focused on my black peek-a-boo underwear. "You're killin' me."

He spins me to face him and roughly presses his mouth to mine, pinning my lower half to the vanity before lifting me up to sit between the sinks. I nip at his lips and suck on his tongue which tastes just like a Jägerbomb.

"Take these off," he whispers, ghosting his fingertips over my thighs before hooking them in the waistband of my underwear and dragging the silk down my legs. Humming, he rests his forehead against mine and parts my knees just enough for us to see his finger disappear inside of me.

"God, yes," I breathe before threading my hands in his hair and plunging my tongue back into his mouth. Always one to give as good as he gets; he crushes his lips to mine, kissing me hard. It's all sloppy and wet, but perfect.

We pull away panting and our eyes lower, watching him work me over. He hits a spot that makes me cry out, then moan when he finds it again, and I grab his wrists wanting him to stay right there. "Don't stop." He curses quietly and his free hand dip beneath his waistband to stroke himself, but I want to see more so I make quick work of his pants, wrapping my legs around him and pushing them down with my feet.

A groan escapes his lips once his cock is free, and he grips himself tight. I slip further down on the vanity, pulling his fingers deeper inside of me. My mouth pops open, and I lean my head back on the mirror as his thumb slides and circles over my clit.

His breathing hitches, and I can hear his hand moving faster over his erection. "Fuck, I want you." His fingers are gone and immediately replaced with the tip of his dick. He sucks in his teeth at the sight. "I want you so bad, Sweets."

I shudder at the feeling of his hardness slipping and sliding against me because God, I want him too. And while the rational portion of my brain, the one that's watched more episodes of Teen Mom Jenelle smokin' the reefa' with Keifa' than I can count is telling me to make him stop and get a condom; I just can't seem to find it in me. If anything, I probably encourage him more, touching myself and whimpering when he presses himself against me harder.

"Christ," he grunts and pulls away, kissing me quickly to distract himself. "Will you—" he starts, leaning his forehead against mine again and shaking it slightly. "Will you suck it?"

And once again it's crickets, apart from the noise coming from the party downstairs.

"Okay," I say, slinking down to my knees. "But um, just don't…" I trail off and tap my lips, too embarrassed to say 'come in my mouth.'

"I won't, I swear," he promises eagerly, just short of holding up two fingers like scout's honor.

Before I can think better of it, I blurt out a ridiculous excuse. "I just brushed my teeth, is all…"

Kneeling before him, I stare at it for a moment, thinking about how this is all going to go down. Shamefully my head goes to all those pizza and porn nights, watching the actresses give enthusiastic head, all while batting their fake eyelashes as they deep throat ten inches like it's a goddamn hot dog eating contest. I'm not about that life so I opt to wing it, gripping him tightly like I'm giving him a hand hug and stroking it slowly.

He lifts his shirt up to watch the show, and I hear him quietly curse when I sweep my tongue over the head, swirling it slowly before wrapping my lips around him. Sucking in a breath, his hand slams on the counter behind me, and I notice his stomach muscles clench. Something about the movement makes me feel powerful, so I do it again and again, smiling around his cock each time I hear him hiss.

"Sweets," he moans as he buries his hand in my hair. "I'm close." Moving faster, my mouth and my hand work together while he guides me. "Almost there, baby," he encourages, gripping my hair tighter while his hips begin to thrust.

My jaw is killing me, and I can't even explain the relief I feel when he pulls out and takes over, stroking himself roughly. Never taking my eyes off his hand, I stand and lean against the vanity letting my fingers lightly trail up my thighs.

"Take off your shirt, Sweets," he says with a jerk of his chin. Pulling my shirt over my head, I toss it to the floor and let his eyes linger at my chest. Groaning, he gets close and rubs the tip of his cock over my stomach. "Fuck, look at you."

My hands move up my body, squeezing my breasts together and swiping my thumbs over my nipples. He sways slightly and his hand starts pumping faster, furiously fisting himself. A shiver runs through me, and goose bumps erupt on my skin when I see the expression on his face. I want to be the one who puts it there.

"Let me," I whisper, stilling his hand and replacing it with my own.

I hear him blow out a deep breath when I grasp him tightly, sliding up and down. "Faster." His hand moves over mine, setting the pace before letting me take over again. "That's it." Stroking him harder, I notice the tendons tighten in his throat and hear him grunt before gritting out a string of fucks. He throws his head back and shuts his eyes tightly as three streams land just below my chest.

He drops his head, resting it in the crook of my neck to catch his breath. Combing my fingers through his hair, I hear him hum before his lips move against my skin. "I lo—"

"Bella?" Rose calls, knocking softly on the door.

"Be right out."

"What are you doing in there?"

"Nothing, I'm coming." Edward snickers loud enough for Rose to hear. Panicking, I turn on the faucet. "Just brushing my teeth."

"Mmm hmm. I'm sure you are," she mutters before adding, "with his dick."

We laugh as he helps me get cleaned up and my clothes back on which proves to be quite the task for tipsy Edward. "I better go," I tell him, trying to extract my hand from his.

Kissing my palm, he smiles before pulling me to him. "I love you."

I melt. "I love you, too."

Wrapping his arms around me, he presses one last hot kiss to my lips before reaching down and sliding his hand into the front of my underwear. I feel him exhale shakily and smell the liquor on his breath when he whispers a promise instead of a good night.

"Soon."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay pals. First and foremost, huge thanks to Nic and all the great ladies at The Lemonade Stand for the lovely reviews for Girl Code written by the amazing contributors - Rochelle Allison, GothicTemptress, and Jenny Kate. It was such a fantastic surprise and I'm so grateful. I just can't stop smiling.**

**Exciting things are happening in the fandom right now. Make sure to check out the Fandom for Christy compilation that's coming out soon. You can find a link to the site on my page. Lots of fantastic authors are signed up and contributing to this great cause for our wonderful fandom friend, Christy.**

**Alright… Carrie ZM and I have been dying to let this WIP for months now.**

_**Artful Maneuvers**_** by Planetblue – This fic has it all pals… intrigue, off-the-charts chemistry, and lemons that will surely have bunnies buzzing all over the fandom. Lay and Carrie give it three snaps in 'Z' formation, then Carrie adds four more snaps in 'M' formation, so you know it's got that ZM stamp of approval.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – Take no shit  
__#givenofucks_

"_Soon."_

"So guess who got fat eating your sloppy seconds over break?" Alec asks Rose, linking her arm in his as we make our way through the parking lot on our first day back to school.

"Who?" we ask in unison.

He grins. "Alice."

"With Royce?" I guess, unable to hide my disgust.

"Yep."

Rose throws her head back and cackles while I try to wrap my head around that fuckery. "First of all, eww and second of all, how do you know that?"

He sucks in his cheeks, eying me strangely. "I had an interesting talk over coffee with Victoria this weekend." I swear he looks just like my mom throwing that little tidbit out there, waiting to see if I'll bite, which I don't… because Rose does first.

"Um… hashtag, who are you?"

"What? The girl was in desperate need of a friend, and I was jones'n for a double mocha latte with a shot of hot gossip." Shrugging a shoulder, he adds, "You know I couldn't resist."

"Go on," she prompts with a wave of her hand.

"Well for starters, Valice is broken."

"No!" Rose and I shout, stopping in our tracks.

"Oh yeah. Apparently James finally manned up, took Victoria out on a date. He even got her a Christmas present."

Rose looks shocked, but given the way James was watching her that night at Garrett's party, I'm not the least bit surprised.

"So they're like… official now?" Rose asks skeptically.

"The real deal. I saw them over at Ben Cheney's the other night looking very couple-y."

There's silence for a few beats before I speak up. "Well good for her, she's wanted him forever."

Alec pats the top of my head. "Aww, listen to little Polly Positivity."

"Well she has…" I trail off, pointing out the obvious.

"Anyway, apparently Alice, Sweet Alice wasn't too happy that James wasn't Victoria's imaginary boyfriend any more. So much so that she told Chelsea that she should get on that."

Rose clucks her tongue. "Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?"

"I know, right? So anyway, Victoria stopped taking her calls, divorced her electronically on all social media. Like legit, dunzo. Therefore, go hence, she's airing all of Alice's dirty laundry to anyone who'll listen, which as you know according to article five, section seven, paragraph three of the Girl Code is morally reprehensible."

"So wrong," Rose adds with a smirk, "but sometimes necessary."

"Mmm hmm, very necessary."

"Shameful, the both of you," I scold them playfully, "but I'll allow it."

"Who do you think would win between the two of them in a fight?"

"Alice," Rose says, like there's no doubt about it. "I can see her getting real gutter, eye pokes and crotch kicks."

"Scrappy, huh?" Alec considers this for a moment. "I'd go with Victoria. Long reach, a healthy reserve of pent up aggression… winner, winner, chicken dinner."

"But that hair's a disadvantage," I interject. "If Alice got a hold of that by the roots, it'd be all over with. Plus she's got that bad knee, all Alice would have to do is get one good kick in and boom, she'd fall like a ton of bricks."

"Sounds like _someone_ has given this some thought," Rose says, jerking her head in my direction.

I laugh. "I wouldn't mind giving Alice a few good smacks."

"She still giving you shit?" Alec asks.

"Every damn day." I shake my head. "She's such a piece of shit."

Alec nods. "Truth."

* * *

Second semester is off to a fantastic start. Edward and I have four classes together including lunch. All of that comes to a screeching halt the minute we walk into our Lit class. The desks are grouped together in fours, and Mr. Berty begins assigning our seats in alphabetical order.

"Brandon, Cheney, Crowley, and Cullen, right here please," he says, pointing to a cluster in the front.

My stomach drops as I watch Alice smirk and saunter over to the guys, loving every bit of her luck.

"Stanley, Swan, Weber, and Yorkie, back here."

_Fuck me._

Mr. Berty moves to the front of the room. "The folks seated next to you are who you will be writing your research paper with from now until the end of March. This is a group project and worth fifty percent of your grade. It's in your best interest to actively participate and be a contributing member of this group because they will be grading you as well. Does anyone have any questions?"

Of course, all three of my nerd herd have their hands up, waving them excitedly, but it's Alice across the room who gets called on first.

Smiling, she lowers her hand and sits up straight, jutting out her nonexistent chest for anyone who's interested. "Mr. Berty, will we be working on this paper in class or will this require time outside of normal school hours?"

Edward doesn't hide his eye roll as Mr. Berty leans against his desk. "Good question, Miss Brandon and the answer is that it all depends on how well your group works with the time you're allotted in class. It may be a good idea to exchange information in the event you need to work outside of school hours."

Her smile widens and she looks at me. "Sounds like fun."

* * *

The rest of the week flies by, and it's harder than I thought it would be getting used to our new schedule. Thankfully I get to see Edward in school because our after-hours alone time is practically non-existent with work and baseball conditioning. It's driving me crazy, and Edward is clearly affected too, unable to stop himself from peppering kisses on my neck from behind as I fumble with the combination on our locker.

"Any chance you can arrange a sleepover with Rose this weekend?"

"A sleepover with you or with Rose?"

"Rose," he answers quickly, and I feel him smile against my skin. "You and I won't be doing much sleeping."

"You're _so_ romantic."

"You want romance, Sweets?" He laughs and gives me a quick swat on the ass. "You got it."

"Not all at once now, save some of that magic for Saturday night."

Pulling me close, he lifts my chin with his finger and kisses me softly. "I can't wait."

* * *

"Are you coming to bed?" Rose asks, slowly peeling the pore strip from her nose.

"Um… actually I think I'm going to head over and hang out with Edward… for a bit." We exchange a look and she laughs. "What?"

She lies down then winces when she squishes her new piercing at the top of her ear. "Ow!"

"Still tender?"

"Ugh, yeah. It hurts like a bitch." She covers the area and lies back down. "This probably hurts worse than getting my tongue pierced would have."

I snicker thinking back to the day she left to get her tongue pierced and came back with an earring. Emmett says she pussed out almost immediately.

"You're so hardcore."

She tosses a pillow at me. "Shut up." I straighten my shirt and check my hair in the mirror only to see Rose is staring at me. "What?"

"Nothing." She smirks. "It's nothing, you just seem… nervous or something."

Shrugging, I continue to pull myself together, smoothing my shorts and poofing my hair. "I'm not nervous."

"Hi liar."

"I'm not."

"Whatever. Toss me my phone will you?" I grab it from her desk and lob it across the room. Her fingers are clicking away when I hear her groan.

"What?" She doesn't answer right away, but when I turn to face her I see her scowling at her screen. "Drama?"

She rolls her eyes, "Alice."

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

"I thought you got blocked."

"I did, but Angela Weber screenshots shit and sends it to me."

"Well, what's it about?"

She pulls her lip through her teeth. "It's pretty vague."

"You know what - I don't even want to know. I can't with her shit tonight."

"Good call."

"How do I look?" I flip my hair behind my shoulders.

"Like a girl about to make some questionable decisions," she repeats my words to her from all those months ago.

"Seriously, do I look okay?" Yawning, she gives me a thumbs up. "Don't wait up."

"Gross."

I give her a wink and hear her giggle as I shut the door.

* * *

Sneaking down the hallway proves to be more difficult than I anticipated with the creaky floorboards and my overall lack of slyness. I barely tap on Edward's door before he's opening it and pulling me inside.

"Hey." He pecks my cheek. "Have a seat, I'll be right back." Exiting swiftly, he knocks twice on the wall before heading downstairs.

The room is dark save for a few candles and the beach blanket from his car which is spread out over the floor. Soft music plays from his iPad. I don't recognize the song, but it's an oldie for sure. I'm tempted to look, but I hear Edward coming up the stairs.

"What's all this?" I ask him as soon as he comes in with two milkshakes.

He laughs and waves them around a bit. "Romance, I hope."

"You know I was kidding, right?"

"I do," he says, turning to lock the door, "but there hasn't been a lot of time for it lately. Why? You think it's cheesy?"

"Not at all, it's perfect."

"Stahp."

We sip our shakes and catch up on the week. I bring him up to speed on Victoria and Alice's conscious uncoupling and he talks baseball with me.

"So you think you'll make the team then." He nods and I don't miss the cocky smile. "Liam said you were really good." He shrugs. "Like good enough to be scouted for college."

Shaking his head, he laughs a bit. "He said that, did he?"

"Are you?"

"I'm all right, I guess." Rolling my eyes, I give him a look. "I'm pretty good."

"Well, why didn't you just say so?"

"Sounds conceited. Who says that anyway? I'm being scouted. That's like saying I have a huge dick."

"It's not conceited if it's true."

"Yeah, but who'd believe how big I am?" Thankfully, I have no milkshake in my mouth when I start laughing. "You calling me a liar, Sweets?"

I can't even keep a straight face. "Not at all, you're enormous."

"Obviously."

"But seriously, Liam said schools back home were interested and that your old coach has contacts and stuff. Are you going to check them out?"

"I did check some of them out last spring. Most of them were downstate and far from home." I'm ashamed at the relief I feel when he shakes his head in the negative. "I wasn't interested."

"Do you think you'll get scouted out here?"

"I don't know. It all depends on how I do. But I gotta make the team first."

"You will. Now switch." I hand him my strawberry shake and take his vanilla. "Are you homesick since you saw Liam and your uncles?"

"Nah. Not much has changed since I left. Besides, I'll see them in June."

I nearly choke. "You're moving home?"

"I'm visiting for my birthday." His brows furrow and he motions between us. "I was hopin' you'd come with me."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Liam and the family loved you. Thought you were a great girl."

"They did?"

He laughs. "They gave me a lot of shit for not comin' home over Thanksgiving – then they got a good look at you."

"Whatever." I can feel my cheeks flame so I change the subject. "How's the research project going?"

His eyes nearly roll out of his head. "That good, huh?"

"That chick's a nightmare." Tossing the cup into the trash, he looks back at me. "Seriously, how did you do it for so long?"

"Is she bothering you?"

"She's just… relentless. We all exchanged info, but I didn't give her my cell. I gave her the number to the house. I don't know how she got it, but she got my cell number and has been texting stupid shit ever since."

_Not good_. "Oh."

He taps his temple. "What part of 'fuck off' doesn't she understand?"

"Subtlety doesn't work on her, unfortunately."

"No for real, I told her to 'fuck off.'" He pulls out his phone and scrolls to the text that literally says 'fuck off.'

I start to scroll through the unanswered messages asking him to 'call her' or 'can we meet for coffee to talk about the paper.'

"Delusional."

"No shit," he agrees and I hand him back his phone. "Now, I just forward them to Tyler and let him deal with her shit since he's got such a hard-on for her."

I can feel my crazy bubbling to the surface, wanting to go all hulk smash at the thought of her reaching out to him. Although, I'm slightly comforted by the fact that I was there when he blocked and unfriended her on social media, it still pisses me off to no end that she has anything to do with him.

"I don't want to talk about her though."

"Me neither," I agree taking a quick sip. "Tell me more about what we'll do in Chicago."

After laughing and talking for what feels like hours, silence falls over us. We watch as his thumb draws lazy circles into the back of my hand. I draw a shaky breath when he skims his finger across my cheek and kisses me so tenderly it causes a shiver to run through my body.

"Nervous," he asks, brushing a strand of my hair out of my eye.

"A little."

"You know we don't have to—"

"I know." I straddle his legs and press my lips to his, holding it there for a moment. "But I want to."

His hands slide up, gently cupping my face and kissing me slowly, taking his time teasing and tasting my tongue with his own. Our lazy kissing gradually builds as his eager hands move down my body fumbling to get his fingers beneath the hem of my shirt.

I pull it over my head for him, feeling his mouth move to my neck while his hands tug at the straps of my bra. Closing my eyes, I enjoy the feel of his tongue swirling over my chest, licking and nipping at my flesh as my hips roll steadily on his lap.

"Slow down, Sweets," he pants against my cleavage, letting his fingertips ghost over my ribs before reaching around to unhook my bra and tossing it to the ground. "I wanna do this right."

My fist curls into the hair near the nape of his neck, gasping lightly when his teeth graze and tug my nipple before sucking it into his mouth. "What do you mean?"

His hands squeeze and his thumbs circle making the sensitive skin tighten and tingle. Meeting my eyes, the side of his mouth curls up into a smug smile. "Lemme make this good for you."

Cradling my head, he gently lowers me to the floor. We undress each other slowly, piece by piece, until it's just us, skin to skin. My fingers trail over his arms and chest, committing him to memory while his eyes seem to do the same as he hovers above me. He hums as his hands skim over my parted knees and lightly brush my inner thighs.

"Oh God," I whimper when his fingers slip inside.

Closing my eyes, I relax, letting myself feel him everywhere, taking in every moment of this. My back arches at the sensation of his tongue sweeping my skin and my thighs clench when his fingers hit that spot inside of me. He does it again and again until I'm rocking roughly into his palm and I'm stifling my moans into the crook of his neck, unable to control the small tremors erupting within.

I clutch his wrist, holding him there, moving with him, and needing to prolong this feeling. Shaking my head, I hear myself begging him not to stop and pleading for him to go faster, harder. I dig my nails into his skin while my entire body trembles beneath him, loving the strained sound of his voice as he grits out my name.

He rolls onto his back and pulls me to his chest, letting me catch my breath. My fingers trace over the muscles of his stomach, watching them tighten with each featherlight touch as my hand moves down over his thigh. I hear him sharply inhale and release his breath slowly when I begin to stroke him softly, feeling him get even harder in my hand.

"Bella," he groans, once again covering my body and capturing my lips with his.

"I want you," I murmur against his jaw, sweeping my thumb over his tip. "I want to feel you." My fingers wrap around his length. "All of you… inside of me."

With a small nod, he leans over and grabs a condom out of his nightstand. I watch him tear the wrapper with his teeth and then carefully roll it on. I suck in a breath feeling suddenly nervous when I see him grip himself kneeling between my legs. He slides the tip through my wetness, and with a whispered 'I love you', he pushes in gently. Achingly slowly, he stretches and fills me with his eyes never leaving mine.

He kisses my temple. "You okay?"

"Mmm hmm." My voice shakes slightly as I close my eyes, trying to get used to the feel of him inside me. It's quite a contrast to the sharp sting of my first time. This time it's more of an ache. An intrusion. But it's him… and I've never wanted anything more.

"You sure?"

"I am." I nod and wrap my arms around him.

His hips begin to move, withdrawing and thrusting in short, deliberate strokes. My fingers run down his back feeling the flex of his muscles with each movement, and grip him tightly when he sinks deeper inside of me over and over again.

We hear a creak from the hallway and we freeze.

"Did you lock the door?" I whisper, wide-eyed.

He nods and puts a finger over his lips, listening to see if anyone's coming. After a few seconds, he begins to move again, finding his rhythm which builds and builds until I can see the strain in his face and the set of his jaw as he struggles to keep his pace. His thrusts become jerky, and he leans back, lifting my legs by the backs of my knees.

"I can't," he stutters before blowing out a deep breath. "I need to…"

"It's okay," I whisper, pulling him back on top of me.

He laces our fingers together and presses forward, resting his forehead against mine. Giving into his need, all restraint is gone when his hips swivel and drive into me, faster and faster. With shaky breaths, he begins to tremble and his eyes shut tightly. My fingers tighten around his and his mouth finds mine, kissing me fiercely. With one last grunt, he thrusts deeply and stills inside of me, burying his face into my hair before collapsing on top of me.

Threading my fingers through his hair, I listen as his breathing slows. He smiles sheepishly at me and he props himself up on his elbow, draping his arm over my body.

"That was…" I trail off, unable to find the right word to describe it.

He laughs softly and nods. "It was."

And while neither one of us can adequately express how amazing that was, he has no problem telling me exactly how he feels as he pulls me to his chest.

"Love you, Sweets."

* * *

The next few months are equal parts blissful and difficult. Although we're closer than ever, it's not without constant effort. Our time together is limited now with work and school and his ridiculous baseball schedule. Thankfully he goes out of his way to always let me know I'm on his mind with random texts and calls, or notes in our shared locker.

But in mid-March, I notice the letters and brochures from schools and their baseball programs piling up on his desk. Scouts show up and jot notes down on the days Edward pitches. They're all smiles and handshakes with Coach Clapp before and after the game, looking to get a moment with the new kid from Chicago with the great arm.

And while we've never been better, fear sets in when he starts actually visiting the schools. We don't talk about it much, he doesn't bring it up and neither do I because I'm almost sure the crazy thoughts I'm thinking will bring on a fight.

Not that we fight too terribly often, and usually when we do it's over something out of his control or should I say… someone. It's one thing to hear whispers and snickers in the hallways, or have people forward screenshots of vague statuses and tweets pertaining to me or my boyfriend. But to have to see Alice's bullshit, day in and day out – it's starting to wear on me.

His utter disdain for her couldn't be more obvious, but that doesn't stop her from trying. Whether it's her loud fake laugh across the classroom or the way she smirks and stares when she sees my reaction... it makes me ragey. I bottle it up and keep it to myself, until one day in March, when I can't hold it in any longer.

"So we took a cab and headed to this fab little bistro where I met Jane's newest future ex-boyfriend. Girl, he was questionable at best. I mean, I'm all for that mysterious, long hair, don't care look, but this dude was a cardboard sign and a piss stain from looking totally homeless." I listen as Alec drones on about his trip to NYC over spring break while I grab my books from my locker. "So what did I miss?"

"Baseball," I shove my folders into my bag. "Lots and lots of baseball."

"Lame."

"Yep."

"Where's Edward?"

"Carlisle took him to Tacoma, some school, I don't know." I can barely mask my agitation. "This is the third one this—"

"Shhh!" Alec shushes me, bringing his finger to his lips and mouthing the word 'listen.'

"Alice seems pretty sure of herself," Lauren says to Chelsea as they stand at her locker across the hall from us.

"Well she says they text all the time." Chelsea nods in agreement as she checks herself in the mirror. "And from what I hear, that boy is bored out of his mind with that rag-tag, fugly duckling he's with."

Lauren snaps her gum and laughs. "Probably."

Alec's jaw drops and his eyes bulge, clearly mortified on my behalf. My emotions flip like a Rolodex from embarrassment to sadness, then annoyance to borderline rage. "Are they talking about me?" I whisper incredulously to Alec, shutting my locker with a soft click.

He shushes me again and we listen.

"I don't get the appeal. I mean…" Chelsea flips her hair. "Your mom's a hairstylist, like… fix your shit."

"Oh, hell no!" Alec says, a second too late because I'm already marching over.

"Hey Chels!" I say, coming up behind her with a batshit crazy smile on my face and slamming her locker door shut, causing her to jump. "What's new?"

Her eyes widen when she turns to face me, backing up a bit. "Nothing."

"Are ya' sure?" I dip my head and step closer to her. "Because I could've sworn I just heard you telling Lauren some pretty juicy scoop, am I right, Alec?"

I hear the smile in his voice. "It did sound like a tasty dish."

"Remind me again who you were talking about." I tap my finger on my lip and step forward again, watching her back into her locker. "Something about Alice and a fugly ducking… refresh my memory for me, Chels. Who's the guy?"

Her mouth opens and closes a few times and I can feel my grin get wider at her discomfort. Alec's laughing behind me, and I'd be willing to bet he's texting Rose to haul ass over here to see this.

Call it menstrual rage or maybe some sort of chemical imbalance, but something snaps inside of me and the next thing I know I'm slamming my hand against her locker and stepping right in her face and yelling, "WHO?"

"Edward," she whispers, shrinking back so I move closer.

"What about Edward?"

Her lip trembles and she stumbles over her words. "Alice says they have a thing."

My eyes narrow even though I know there's not an ounce of truth to that statement. "A thing? Alice and Edward have a… _thing_?"

She nods furiously and adds, "That's what I heard."

I'm pretty sure the psychopath switch is flipped to 'on' at this point because this strikes me as funny for some reason, and I chuckle as I turn to Alec and jerk my thumb in her direction, repeating her words. "Did you hear what she heard?"

He laughs too, but it's more of a nervous 'please don't go postal, crazy pants' laugh as opposed to a 'bitches be trippin'' snicker.

My hand vibrates as it slaps the metal locker again, making Chelsea jump when I turn on her. "Well you can stick a cock in your ear and FUCK what you heard, because you know and I know that shit isn't true."

There's an audience around us now, and I feel Alec pulling on my arm. "Come on," he hisses in my ear, "Cope is coming."

But I shirk out of his grip and put my finger in her face, gritting out a warning through my teeth. "You keep our names out of that herp hole you call a mouth. Do you understand me?" She nods again, looking practically paralyzed with fear. "Now get the fuck out of my way."

I bump her with my shoulder as I pass and make my way through the crowded hallway waiting for my anger to dissipate and the rage to subside. But it doesn't. With each step it builds, until my feet are pounding on the pavement to a steady mantra of fucks.

_Fuck Chelsea and Lauren and all the pathetic minions in this school, feeding off this bullshit. _

_Fuck them and what they think and fuck 'em for believing the lies. _

_Fuck Alice for starting all this shit. _

_Fuck her for every time she screwed me over and every single fucking lie she spread about Edward and me._

_Fuck her for all the times she played on my insecurities with her subtle cruelty and back-handed remarks._

_Fuck me for letting her._

_Fuck her for getting off on stirring the shit._

_And fuck me for being too much of a pussy to handle this sooner._

But that shit ends today… because I give no fucks.

* * *

**A/N: So… only two more chapters left, pals. Eeep.**

**Real life has been insane lately and doesn't seem to be letting up. I'm hopeful that I can get the next two updates out on schedule – but if I can't please know that I'm going to try my best.**

**Time to let it WIP...**

**The Other One by JiffyKate – Our girls Jiff and Jenny Kate are back – two chapters in and ba-da-ba-ba-ba we're lovin' it! EPOV (so far) and wonderfully mysterious. **

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! Hopefully, I'll see you all next Thursday.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Rating M**

**Disclaimer – Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight –  
****I just like to get weird with her characters.**

**Much love and thanks to my beta love, Carrie ZM,  
****for all the edits, the hours, the encouragement, and the laughs we had with this fic.  
****Writing with you is always a blast – you make this shit fun, Boo.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful pre-readers, Planetblue and Robsmyyummy  
****Cabanaboy, for all the time, insight, and commentary you provided on this story.  
****I greatly admire you both and am so grateful for all of your help on this, pals.**

**Special thanks to Ceci – Lolypop82 for the awesome banner. Tilt, baby, tilt.  
**

* * *

_Girl Code – Say what you need to say  
__#truthhurts #sayitanyway_

_But that shit ends today… because I give no fucks._

I push open the doors and stomp out of the building, scanning the parking lot for any sign of Alice while Alec chases behind, leaving a voicemail for Rose.

"Girl, why isn't your ringer on?" Alec yells into his phone. "Bella just went all Gemma Teller on Chelsea, it was epic! Told her to stick a cock in her—"

Tuning him out, I pull my backpack off my shoulders and stuff it into his chest. "Hold this!"

"What are you doing?"

"And this," I say, taking off the necklace Edward gave me and holding it out for him to grab, knowing there's a good chance that this could get real _Real Housewives_ reunion, real quick.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he grabs my hand, dragging me back. "Slow down, B."

I shake him off, muttering that it's too late. My eyes narrow, zeroing in on Alice tossing her books in her backseat, and I give a sharp whistle to get her attention.

Her head snaps up, and she grins as she crosses her arms. "Well, well, well, if it isn't little Miss Can't-Give-No-Satisfaction."

I get right in her face, jabbing an angry finger into her chest. "Bitch, he wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire."

She shoves me back. "Truth hurts."

Alec jumps between us, holding me back as I scream from over his shoulder "Do you fucking hear yourself? You're delusional!" She just smiles, watching me tap at my temples and trying to get at her. "Spreading lies like your goddamn legs all day long and to anyone interested." No more smiles. "It's disgusting. _You're_ disgusting!"

"FUCK YOU!" she screams, rushing me again.

"You need help, for real!" I snarl.

"The girl needs Jesus," Alec adds, struggling to contain me.

"Shut up, Mitch! No one wants to hear your mouth!" She grabs a handful of his hair and tugs roughly. "And side-burns are OUT!"

Alec gasps at the low blow, she knows it took him months to get those to grow in. "OH HELL NO!" He turns on her, barely even trying to hold me back anymore. "Bitch please, with that yuck-yuck, thrifty ass outfit you're wearing." He waves his finger up and down. "Looks like it came with a pole."

I go after her again, getting right in her face with my finger, and we start yelling over each other. "If I hear one more word out of you or that ratch-batch you run with, I swear to God, I will shove my foot so far up—"

"Skeeze, please…"

"– your bony ass, you'll be tasting all that shit you talk for days."

"—that boy is bored with your basic bitch ass."

"BASIC?" I look her up and down then start in on her, clapping my hands, and punctuating each point as I go off. "Who are _you_ calling basic with your raggedy ass, tore up face and hair, jiggity-jacked-up teeth…"

Her face goes from amusement to rage when she charges me, but Peter grabs her from behind and pulls her back, holding her around her waist. "Get off of me!" she screams, sounding like something from _The Exorcist. _

"Let her go," I yell, waving my arms like 'come and get it,' and I can feel Alec's chest vibrating with laughter.

I hear a grunt and see Peter keeled over, holding his nuts, and Alice is sneering as she storms towards us.

"Shit," Alec mumbles, bracing himself for impact, but I duck under his arms and throw a shoulder into her chest, knocking her to the ground.

And I go wild.

Straddling her middle, I get my hands in her hair and shake that bitch's head like a dog with a chew toy. All the while she's smacking and scratching at my arms and trying to raise her knees to jab them into my back. We call each other vile names and things that have nothing to do with the situation at hand, but I'm so mad even the word 'cunt' rolls of my tongue with ease.

"Kiss her!" Seth Clearwater screams from above us. "Take off her shirt!"

I swear to God if that little motherfucker has a camera on us – I'll kick his ass next.

"Get up, B! Alec grits through clenched teeth, trying to pull me off her.

Peter lifts Alice up off the ground while her feet flail and she screams obscenities at the top of her lungs.

Alec's trying to push me back towards his car, not having any luck, because I'm still trying to get at her.

"I'm gonna tell you like I told your ratchet-ass friend back there, keep my man's name out of your mouth."

"Well, if you could keep your man happy…" She smirks, throwing the lie out there and challenging me with a quirked brow.

My skin prickles as the rage surges through me, and I can feel my hands curl into fists. I start screaming and waving my arm in the direction of the bystanders. "They all know he doesn't want you or your dirty dickbeaters on him." I hear laughs and 'oohs' from the crowd at my burn. "In fact, _NO ONE_ is interested in getting with you or that Petri dish between your legs."

It's slight, but I see her eyes widen, and I go in for the kill. "You can't even get your _own_ man, let alone steal a good one." My lips twist into a sick smile. "Kind of like your mom, huh?"

Her lips tremble and her eyes water.

Direct hit.

I win.

But fuck if it doesn't feel good to make her feel small, so I keep going. "Isn't that right, Alice? Isn't that her M.O. too?" I slap my hand against the 'Parking Reserved for Alice Brandon' sign, and I regret it immediately, feeling the pain shoot through my palm. "How many married pigs did you and your mom have to call 'daddy' to pay for this parking spot, huh?"

"ENOUGH!" Jasper Whitlock shouts, stepping between us.

His eyes are warning me, and it finally dawns on me that perhaps his father chipped in for the parking fund.

A high-pitched, tinkering laugh sounds behind me, and I hear a few slow claps before seeing Victoria at my side, staring Alice down with a sinister smile on her face. Giggling, she tilts her head condescendingly and spits out a word I've heard Alice use on her hundreds of times. "Pa-thetic!"

Alice's face morphs from hurt to hate, and she charges us like fucking Braveheart, screaming out a war cry. I'm feeling froggy, so I jump and apparently Victoria does too, because she lunges at the exact same time.

The three of us clash, and I get a fistful of Alice's hair while Victoria grabs another. All I hear are the distinct sounds of loud smacks and pained grunts above me as I keep my head down and my eyes shut, blindly swinging and elbowing between the two of them.

We probably look like an episode of _The Bad Girls Club_, just a hot mess of cursing, slapping, and a shitload of hair pulling. Victoria starts pushing us towards the grass at the edge of the parking lot when Alice falls backwards with Victoria and me landing on top of her.

"Get up," Alec yells, grabbing me from behind and pulling me backwards.

I watch as James, Peter, and Jasper try to separate the other two, dodging their angry fists and feet. Victoria is relentless, beating Alice like she owes her money.

"Get in the car, crazy!" Alec says sternly, pushing me into the front seat and slamming the door behind me. I flip down the mirror and get a gander at myself, taking in how fucking scary I look with my wild hair and the angry bruise forming on my cheek. My hand hurts so bad, I can barely make a fist.

Alec gets in, starts the car and pulls out of the lot. For the first time in forever, we drive in total silence. His brow furrows as he shakes his head. There's no hint of a smile. No nothing.

Maybe he's speechless because he's in shock. Because now he knows I'm the worst kind of mean girl there is - the one you never see coming.

I chew my lip, my anger subsiding for the moment as anxiousness seeps in. Perhaps I went too far with Alice, exposing her Achilles heel like that, though I admit, it felt far more effective than tearing her hair out did. My breathing is a bit shaky and my hands are trembling, like my body is having some kind of delayed reaction. Emotionally I'm all over the place, unable to reconcile the fact that I just completely lost my shit back there.

We pull up to a stoplight, and Alec turns to me with a serious expression. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. I don't know. Probably not."

He blows out a deep breath and taps his fingers on his steering wheel, grinning wickedly. "Is it wrong that I loved that you compared her pussy to a Petri dish?"

* * *

The minute I get home, I run up to my room and dial Edward to leave him a message.

"Um, hey. It's me. Just a… call me when you get this. Kinda got into a little thing at school and wanted to tell you before anyone else did. So yeah, anyway… Call me when you get this. Love you, bye."

My phone starts ringing off the hook, first Rose then Kate, followed by a bunch of nib-nosers, looking for scoop. I stay away from social media, knowing full well how awful it feels to be the talk of the timelines and Twitterverse.

Rose is completely understanding of the situation, albeit a bit pissed that she missed it. Apparently Alec gave her the 411 on his way to the salon, and his version is far more entertaining than mine. Edward's number comes up and I quickly disconnect with her.

"Sweets?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Christ, are you okay? Are you hurt?" He sounds all worked up, asking me questions then not giving me a chance to answer. "People are blowin' up my phone, tellin' me you got into a fight." Somehow this comes out sounding like a question and a statement. "What happened?"

"I left you a voicemail."

"I know, I got it, but you sounded so calm. Garrett's getting texts from Kate sayin' you got into it with Alice and Victoria?"

"I did. Well, I mean I got into it with Alice, and Victoria just kinda jumped in." I hear him exhale deeply. "And I'm all right, so… you don't have to be worried."

"Well I am, because I don't get in until after ten tonight, and I don't know if I'll get to see you."

"It's okay."

He sighs. "It's not."

"I miss you," I whisper.

"I miss you too." His voice drops and it sounds like he puts the receiver closer to his mouth. "Promise me you're okay."

I look at my hand which is getting more bruised and swollen by the minute. "I'm okay. I promise."

"I'll call you as soon as I get in tonight, all right?"

"Okay."

"I love you, Sweets."

"Love you too."

I hang up and check my text messages again. My heart nearly stops when a new one from Alec comes through.

_B. Your mom is on her way home. She knows._

* * *

Twenty long painful minutes later, I hear my mother's footsteps trudging up the stairs, though I'm shocked she's not yelling all three of my names. When she opens the door, I see a _Nifty Fiftys_ bag in her hand and an odd expression on her face.

"Heard you had a pretty shitty day," she starts, placing the bag on my nightstand and motions for me to scoot over before flopping down on the bed.

"That's one way to put it."

She reaches out to touch my cheek and I hiss. "Sorry, it just looks painful."

"It is." I point to the bag. "What's this?"

"Well, I figured since you had such a shitty day, I'd get us a sundae to share. You know, since ice cream makes everything better." _This is the truth_. "And besides, I'm guessing you're going to be suspended from school tomorrow. Thought I'd give you one last taste of freedom." She hands me the sundae and a spoon. "You're father is going to shit when he gets wind of this."

"Probably."

"So what happened?"

I give her an abridged version of the truth, leaving out my colorful use of the C-word and apt description of Alice's privates. But I cop to spilling the sordid secrets of Cynthia Brandon. My mom surprises me. At no time does she jump in with a catty comment or defense of my behavior, even when I admit to feeling guilty for stooping down to her level, regardless if she deserved it or not. She sits and listens, hugging me tightly when I cry as I confess my fears of losing Edward.

"No tears," she coos, wrapping her arm around me and rubbing soothing circles into my shoulder. "I hate that you're hurting."

She lets me cry it out until the ice cream is melted and mascara is running down my face.

"How did you find out anyway? Alec?" _That rat-fink-snitch._

Shaking her head, she smiles and scrapes out the last of the fudge sauce. "Nope. Alec avoided me like the plague at work. I couldn't get him to stop folding towels if his life depended on it."

I feel a tinge guilty for jumping to conclusions. "Then who?"

Her head lolls in my direction. "Ms. Brandon called Esme at the shop and told her Alice's version of the story, which sounded a bit… suspect to say the least. Apparently, _Cynthia_ wanted to warn Esme about the _riff-raff_ Rose is friendly with."

I'm embarrassed because I acted like a total hillbilly today. "Well what did Esme say to her?"

My mother smirks. "She thanked her for letting her know."

"What did she really say?"

Her face splits into a wide smile. "She said 'bless your heart.'"

* * *

I can barely keep my eyes open this morning seeing as how Charlie did a full interrogation on me last night in the event that Ms. Brandon chooses to file a formal complaint. Edward and I don't get to see each other either because he has to make up a quiz since he was absent. By first period, I'm in the office, sitting next to Victoria and Alice.

Victoria doesn't look too banged up apart from the fat lip, but Alice looks a fright. No amount of concealer can hide the cheek-to-chin scratch, the black-eye, or the busted lip. I smirk a bit, mentally taking credit for at least one of those beauties. As expected, we each get a three-day suspension. Our mothers arrive and the principal makes us all apologize and shake hands.

I wince when Alice shakes my bad hand too hard, but I'm pleasantly surprised when Victoria is extra gentle. We may no longer be friends, but somehow I don't think we're enemies anymore.

* * *

Four hours later, I'm lying on the couch with a jar of Nutella, shamefully watching trashy reality television when I hear a knock at the door.

"Coming," I say, wiping toast crumbs off my shirt.

I look out the peephole, seeing a very worried looking Edward, drumming his fingers over the straps of his backpack.

The door is barely open when he steps in, immediately placing his palms to my cheeks and inspecting me for damage. "Jesus, Sweets. You all right?" he asks, eyeing my lip and cheek.

"I'm fine," I say, wrapping my arms around him and going in for a kiss. He stops me to look at some of the scratches on my arms, and boy does he look pissed. "Edward, I swear, I'm okay." I raise my wrapped hand to his cheek. "Baby, I'm fine."

I watch as his eyes bug out when he takes my hand in his and unwraps the Ace bandage. "Holy shit," he mutters, looking at the bruised and swollen skin. He places a small kiss into my palm before meeting my eyes.

"Edward, I promise, I'm fine." I step towards him, leaning on my tiptoes to kiss his lips. "I've missed you."

He pulls me to him, kissing me back and hugging me tightly. "I've missed you too."

"Not that I'm not happy as hell to see you, but what are you doing here?"

He grins sheepishly. "Hall pass."

"But you have almost half-a-day left."

"I'm gonna skip practice too."

"Don't do that – you'll get benched."

He shrugs indifferently. "Then I get benched." I give him a reproachful look. "I wanted to see you. I tried to call you all last night, but it kept going straight to voicemail."

"Charlie took my phone." I roll my eyes. "But I still have my iPad so we can FaceTime."

Jerking his head to the couch, he tells me to sit down and disappears into my kitchen, knocking twice on the wall as he goes. When he returns, he's shaking a huge bag of frozen broccoli. "Here," he says, placing it gently over my injured hand. "So what happened?"

"You mean you haven't heard the story a hundred times already?"

"I have, but I want the truth."

"I doubt my version is any –"

"I wanna hear it from you. What set that off?"

I stretch my legs across his lap and watch his face as I recount the story. He listens intently, rolling his eyes when I tell him about the lies and the crazy shit Alice said, and wincing when I tell him about being pinned between her and Victoria. By the time the story is over, his expression is unreadable and his eyes are focused on the frozen vegetables in my hand.

Minutes pass and there's nothing but silence between us. I look away embarrassed. "So that's that, I guess."

He rakes his hand through his hair, muttering something to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"No, really. What did you say?"

"I said I wish you didn't do that."

"Do what?"

"Let her get to you like that. You knew she was lying."

"I did know she was lying." I lean forward, dipping my head towards his. "And I had had e-fucking-nough of her shit."

"Sweets." He shakes his head and puts his hands up. "You're misunderstanding me."

"I don't think I am. Maybe you aren't bothered by the fact that I hear whispers all around the halls and see shit on the regular that's probably pertaining to me." He's waving his hands back and forth, mouthing the words 'no, no, no.' "You have no idea what that feels like because it's not being directed at you."

"I get it, I do… but—"

"No, you clearly don't get it." I start snapping my fingers. "Wake the fuck up! You can't expect me to sit there and take that."

"I don't, I swear. I guess I just didn't realize it was botherin' you _that_ much."

"Well, then you must be pretty fucking oblivious because there are a lot of things bothering me."

His brow furrows. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing." I cross my arms. "Forget it."

"See that right there pisses me off." He jabs a finger in my direction. "You don't tell me what's wrong and you lose your shit on me, actin' like I was supposed to know. If somethin' is botherin' you, tell me the minute you think it. Don't hold it in until it comes out in big, crazy spurts."

"Uh, no. If I told you all the crazy shit I think, the minute I think it, you'd have a fucking dust cloud coming from your feet, running like your ass was on fire."

He smirks and I can't help my smile when he grabs my good hand and gives it a small squeeze. "Try me."

"I just… hate that you're leaving me. Like you're looking all around the state for school and I just feel like we have this expiration date on us or something. I hate that I'm scared to discuss it, and it bothers me that you don't seem to want to talk about it either. It like, confirms my fears or something." My eyes meet his. "Crazy?"

He shakes his head and pulls me to his chest. "You gotta have more faith in us, Sweets." His fingers trace up and down my arm. "Even if I went to school across the country," he presses his lips to my ear and whispers, "you'd still be my girl."

* * *

Two nights later, I decide to take a look at my Facebook and Twitter, getting a feel for the shitstorm I'm about to jump back into. Strange things happen at the fall of a mean girl. There are vague posts and tweets alluding to how the mighty have fallen, celebrating Alice's public flogging, while others remain unwaveringly loyal to her, like Death Eaters, waiting on their Dark Lord to return.

It's like a free-for-all. People come out of the woodwork to chip in their two worthless cents, be it to condone or condemn. The sides war back and forth, while the neutral population rallies for peace, desperate to inject some positivity into their tumultuous timelines. A new crop of mean girls rise up, looking to take her place, claiming the high road, but throwing in a 'just saying' for things that don't need to be just said.

I'm just about to shut off my iPad when Edward's name pops up on messenger.

_Sweets? You there?_

_I'm here. What's up?_

_Can you sneak out tonight?_

I look at the clock and see it's a quarter after ten. _I guess so, why?_

_Missing you and we need to talk._

_Okay…_

_Nothing bad, don't get crazy._

He knows me too well. _Do you want me to meet you somewhere?_

_Give me five minutes. I'll pick you up in front of your neighbor's house._

I tiptoe down the stairs, cursing my severe lack of sneakiness with each creak and squeak. When I get downstairs, my mom is on the couch, reading.

"Going somewhere?" she asks, not looking up from her book.

I consider lying, but something tells me she'd know. "Uh Edward is stopping by, he needs to… talk to me about something."

The corner of her mouth turns up. "You know you're still grounded, right?"

"Mom…"

She waves me off. "Fine, go. But if your father catches you, this conversation never happened."

I blow her a kiss from the door. "You're the best."

She shrugs one shoulder. "Well, obviously."

* * *

Edward pulls up and opens the door for me from the inside.

"Hi," I say, climbing into the seat.

He leans over the console and kisses me softly before reaching for my hand. "Hey."

We speed off down the road, and I watch him hum along to the song on the radio. After a few moments, we pull up to a stoplight, and he turns to me, smiling.

"So I've got some news, Sweets."

"What's that?"

"I picked a school."

"You did?"

"Talked to the coach today, gave my verbal commitment." He brings my hand to his lips. "Seattle U."

"Oh my God, really?"

"Yep." He kisses my knuckles. "It's got a great business school, good baseball program. It's a Catholic institution." We both smirk because Carlisle's been giving him so much shit for skipping mass the past few Sundays.

"And it's close to home," I add, grinning from ear to ear.

He nods and squeezes my hand a bit. "And close to you."

I squeal and lunge across the console, kissing him crazy while he laughs and hugs me tightly. "Edward that's wonderful! Did they give you a scholarship?"

He shrugs. "I got a little money, but who knows if I'll even get to play."

"But did you get enough to go? Esme said other schools were offering full-rides."

"I did," he says with an easy smile, but he must notice my uneasy expression. "What are you thinkin' over there, Sweets?"

"I'm happy." I feel myself flush when he presses another kiss to the back of my hand. "Really, really happy. But what about you? I mean as much as I want to be near you…" I trail off, looking down at my lap nervously. "I want you to be happy with your decision too, you know. You should go wherever is best for you."

"Hey, look at me." He lifts my chin with his finger. "I _am_ making the best decision for me. And that's this school." His hand winds around to the back of my neck, bringing me forward until our foreheads touch. "And you."

"Okay," I whisper.

"We good, Sweets?" he asks and I nod. "Good."

The light turns green and we start back down the road, him holding my hand and me feeling like I can breathe again, letting the air from the open windows fill my lungs. A few minutes later, he pulls into the parking lot of the beach where he and I shared milkshakes all those months before and waves to a passing truck.

"Did you know them?"

He nods and shushes me. "No more questions," he says, reaching in the glove compartment and handing me a sleep mask. "Put this on."

"Ummm… O-kay," I drag the word out, eyeing him speculatively as he gets out of the car and comes around to open my door. "What's this for again?"

"It's a surprise."

"Oh."

"You almost sound disappointed."

"No, it's not that at all, my head just went to a weird place."

He laughs. "Like safewords and shit?"

I grin. "Maybe."

"All right, kinko," he says, extending his hand for me to step out of the car. "Let me help you."

I slip on the mask and let him lead me down the beach. "So what brought this on?"

"Well, my lovely step-sister informed me of a tradition that I was not aware of – watch your step here." He holds me tightly over the uneven ground. "I figured I'd give it my best shot. Here we are."

I pull the mask off and see a heart drawn in the sand, outlined with tea light candles. In the middle, one word burns bright.

_Prom?_

He wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my temple. "How's that for romance, Sweets?"

* * *

**A/N: One more chapter to go until I hit that complete button pals. **

**Things are crazy right now, so Carrie and I aren't devouring WIPs like we usually do. So instead, we thought we'd do another LayZM Old School Rec on the New School Tip. The theme this week is… fighting. Appropriate, right?**

_**Shadowboxer **_**by NoBloodNoFoul – Summary: ****Edward is an underground fighter using the ring as an outlet for his pent-up rage. Bella is a college dropout running from her complicated past. Their paths collide when Edward is beaten and left for dead. Rated M for LEMONS. CANON PAIRINGS. AH. OOC.**

_**Bringing Bella Home**_** by Counselor – Summary: ****1872 brothers Edward and Jasper return from the war to rebuild the farm. Edward has a son, eighteen. The three bachelors work sun up and down. Edward visits Forks twice a year for supplies and to scratch an itch with a woman there. When he finds her sick he makes a snap decision to take her home. He has no idea who she really is. And how lonely they are at home. Trouble.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, fav'd, rec'd, tweeted or lurked this fic! I'll see you all next Thursday.**


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